Broken Pieces
by WriterFreak001
Summary: After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. [More inside]
1. Prologue

**WriterFreak001: **

I have had this idea for a while (since _Deception_) and now that I'm done with _Mind Games_, I want to explore this idea. If you've read anything I have written before, then you should know that I tend to incorporate some dark stuff into my FanFictions. This story (I haven't decided if it will be a one-shot, or a multi-fic yet) will start from a very dark premise in which some of you might not be comfortable reading. I am placing this warning at the beginning of the FanFiction because I don't want any flames from people for being "surprised."

I will tell you right now, this story's focus will be primarily on the aftermath of rape except for this chapter. If you are not comfortable reading forward, that is fine with me. Some stories are not for everyone. If you should choose to continue reading, be my guest; but be warned and don't be mad at me.

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**PLEASE READ A/N AT THE BEGINNING BEFORE YOU CONTINUE!**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Prologue**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Foolish heart... _

_Looks like we're here again...  
_

…

Paige grinned to herself as she drove home from the university after her night class was over for the week. She had been taking night classes for a while now, and a few weeks ago, she started her second semester in hopes to finish her degree by the end of the year. Ever since she told Walter she had resumed her education, he had been very supportive of her decision; even though she knew he didn't particularly see the value in Liberal Arts, he set aside some of his time to help her study. Sometimes, he gave her nights off from work so she could catch up on some of her homework and have the extra time to write her written assignments. In the last few weeks, Walter had been very helpful; he offered to let Ralph stay at the garage during the nights she had classes so she wouldn't have to worry about a late-night sitter or getting him to bed when she returned. Walter even took Ralph to school the following mornings too. The 197 IQ genius's generosity was almost too much, but Walter was adamant about wanting her to succeed. And the smile Ralph received every time he was being dropped off at the garage was well worth it.

Walter truly was a better father figure for Ralph, and Paige couldn't believe how blind she was, at first, to see it; she wanted Ralph to have a good-standing relationship with Drew – what mother _wouldn't _want her son to bond with his biological father? But Drew had been gone for over a month now, and Paige had a strong feeling that he wasn't returning anytime soon. The last time he called was three weeks ago when he claimed that the Portland Seadogs coach had wanted him to pitch for the rest of the baseball season. Paige, to be honest, wasn't really bothered with Drew's continual absence, but Ralph was a little bummed when he received the news. Luckily, extra time with Walter lessened the blow for him, and she often wondered if letting her son spend some nights at the garage was Walter's way of ensuring the boy that he was deeply cared for.

The reason for Walter's generosity wasn't important to Paige; she was just glad to have someone in her life who adored her son and cared for his wellbeing. She trusted Walter wholeheartedly, and she knew he would never let anything happen to her son. He did mess up once, but his lesson was quickly learned, and unlike Drew, Walter always set aside time outside of work to spend an afternoon or an evening with Ralph – giving Paige some time to herself; if she wasn't working on her homework, she was relaxing. Given her line of work, it was hard to find time to relax, but now that Walter was sharing some of her responsibilities with Ralph, things were easier for Paige.

As Paige lost herself in her thoughts, she failed to notice the broken glass in the road and before she knew it, a tire popped. "Oh no no no no no no no!" She shrieked as her car skidded left and right down the road until the front of her vehicle wrapped around a palm tee. The airbag deployed and pressed hard against her chest, slamming her against her seat. Paige released the breath she had been holding, and the first thing she did was grab her phone and her purse before hopping out of the vehicle to assess the damage.

While she had a mini heart attack as her car spun in various directions, she was, for the most part, fine. A little frazzled and bruised but fine. The front right tire was blown out, and the right corner of the fender was smashed in. The back of her car wasn't damaged, though. "So much for having a safe car for my kid," she murmured to herself as she pushed her hair back and glanced at her surroundings. She was a few miles from her apartment on a less popular street where very few cars travel at night. Ever since Walter asked Cabe to escort Paige to her class last month, she had found an alternative route to the university that enabled her to avoid most of the city traffic.

While she didn't want to call Walter and bother him so late at night, she really didn't have any other option. She needed to have her car towed and also needed a ride, and the last thing she wanted was to ride in the back of a police cruiser.

As she pulled out her phone to call Walter, a low battery symbol blinked on the screen and then it shut down completely. She cursed under her breath. She _could _try pressing the emergency hotline on her car, but she didn't really want to make a big deal out of mostly nothing. She opened her car door to hop back inside when she spotted a gas station in the distance; the gas station would have a phone she could use to call Walter. She considered staying in her car in hopes that a Good Samaritan would turn up, but that could take hours, and she didn't have the patience to wait. She slammed her car door, locked it as she dropped her phone into her purse and headed for the gas station as it started to rain.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"Excuse me?" Paige called for the cashier as she walked into the Shell station and made her way to the counter.

A blonde teen with purple streaks in her hair looked up from her magazine and popped a pink bubble with her teeth before working her gum back into her mouth. "What is it, lady?"

"Do you have a phone I can use? Mine's dead, and I really need to make a call." Paige waved her phone into the air, hoping the teen could help her out.

"There's a payphone outback behind the station," the cashier pointed behind her and popped another bubble. "If it doesn't work, then you're out of luck."

Paige opened her mouth to say something, but she kept her thoughts to herself and nodded before exiting the building. She walked around the station and spotted the payphone; it was exactly where the teen girl said it was. She frowned when she saw a man with a black hood draped over his face standing by the phone. Instinct told her to go back inside the station and wait patiently until he was gone, but she _really _needed to call Walter and a towing service as soon as possible. As she took another step closer to the payphone, she mindlessly tugged her purse closer to her side and clenched her fists. Her knuckles were white. The feeling in her gut told her to leave; she felt queasy. Being alone at night in Los Angeles wasn't smart, and even though the hooded man could be harmless, she decided to trust her instincts and turn around before he noticed her. She swiftly turned the corner and decided to wait out the weather inside the station.

But as she turned the corner again, a hand covered her mouth, and she was jerked behind the building with brute force. Everything happened so fast; she fought. She struggled. She tried pushing him off of her, but he was too strong. She kicked and scratched and peed all over her captor as an attempt free herself. He cursed and punched her face. Hard. She bit back her tears and continued fighting. But he fought harder. Her efforts were useless against her attacker.

He was just too strong.

Too strong.

But she didn't' stop fighting.

She bit him in the arm as hard as she could.

But this hooded man was hurting her. And hurting her. And hurting her.

But she fought and she fought and she fought.

…

Her screams were muted by the pouring rain.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter woke up earlier than usual and smiled how Ralph was curled up next to him in his bed. While the boy had his own cot to use at his disposal whenever he stayed the night, some mornings, like this morning, Walter would find the ten-year-old genius fast asleep in his bed, and the sight always brought a smile to Walter's lips. He lightly ruffled the boy's hair and slid out of bed to take his morning shower. Since he was already up, he might as well stay up. It was five in the morning.

By 6:30 AM, Walter was showered and dressed for the day. Ralph had school at eight, and he promised he would drop him off so Paige wouldn't have to worry about waking up on time. If the boy wasn't up by seven, he would run up and wake him. For now, Walter didn't mind leaving Ralph up in his room to sleep; the boy was still growing. Sleep was important for growing children. Plus, Paige would kill him if he ever let him stay up past midnight. The last time he did something behind her back – teaching Ralph decryption, things didn't bode well. Granted, there was a positive outcome after the Overt Target incident, but Walter didn't dare risk his progress with Paige by going behind her back again.

While he enjoyed spending time and being a friend to Ralph, he did learn his lesson and realized he needed to be more than just Ralph's friend and mentor – he needed to be the adult too. So since Paige started letting Ralph spend a few nights at the garage, Walter became a tad more responsible with the boy, making sure he went to bed on time and got up for school – no matter how silly he thought it was that Ralph still taking classes with kids his age. Why Paige wanted her son to attend school with other kids his age was beyond Walter, but he knew Paige was a good mother so he respected her decision.

By 7:30 AM, Sylvester was at his desk, and Toby was just walking in. "Happy's gonna be late," Toby called out to Walter who was preparing some breakfast for Ralph in the kitchen. "She was called in by Cabe about a half hour ago; not sure on the details, but some car had been wrecked in the middle of the night and was left on the side of the road. Cabe wanted some mechanical insight as to how the car was wrecked in case the wreckage involves a missing person…," Toby stretched his arms and yawned. "Or, something like that."

Walter scraped the slightly burnt scrambled eggs onto a plate for Ralph and placed two slices of burnt bacon on the side before turning off the stove and putting the pan into the sink. He turned towards Toby. "How do _you _know about Happy's whereabouts before I do? Usually Cabe calls me first, and then I send whomever is needed for the case if it isn't for the entire team."

"Uhhhh," Toby scratched the back of his neck, "I plead the fifth!"

"It's a simple question," Walter blinked and crossed his arms. "Should be a simple answer."

"Toby and Happy are sleeping together!" Sylvester exclaimed before Toby could say a word. Sly immediately clamped his hands over his mouth.

"Way to go, Sly!" Toby grumbled as he walked up to the human calculator and flicked him in the ear.

"Sorry!" Sylvester clapped his hands together, "You know how much I hate deception! Besides, Walter is our boss; he shouldn't be kept in the dark about your relationship with Happy!"

Of all of the things Walter had expected to fly out of Sylvester's mouth, the fact that two of his employees were sleeping together was certainly not one of them. His shock was almost as bad as when Sylvester told him he was dating Megan. Walter grimaced at the thought of – he shivered and pushed the thought away. He tried playing things cool. "Well…," Walter forced a chuckle. "It's, um, it's about time the two of you…you know, _did _it."

"_Did _it?" Toby hooted with laughter. "I bet you don't even know what it's even like to _do _it, Walter. You wouldn't even know what sex was if it hit you in the face!"

Walter's smirk faded quickly. "I know what sex is, Toby."

"Knowing is one thing," Toby chuckled as he retreated to his desk. "_Experiencing _is another."

Walter balked, but as he tried to come up with a comeback statement, his cellphone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket; it was Cabe. "What is it, Cabe?"

Walter spotted Ralph coming down the stairs and pointed to the kitchen. Ralph nodded with a smile and headed for the kitchen as Walter pointed towards the plate of food.

"_Late last night, the front right wheel of a vehicle ran over some glass and swerved into a palm tree on a not-so-popular road. It was just sighted an hour ago. By the way, Happy's with me, assessing the damage." _Cabe explained slowly.

"Yeah. Toby was telling me about it. How does this pertain to us, exactly? Missing person's case?" Walter asked as he ruffled Ralph's hair.

"_You're not going to like what I have to say, kid." _Cabe murmured through the speaker.

Walter gulped. "Whatever you're going to say, just say it, Cabe."

"_The car belongs to Paige." _

And before Cabe could explain, Walter scrambled to his desk, grabbed his things, told Toby to take Ralph to school after his breakfast and stormed out of the garage without a single word.

He sped like a madman towards the location of the wreck.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter bolted out of his car and flung towards Cabe who was standing next to Paige's wrecked Chevy. Cabe told him everything he knew and said a team had been sent to Paige's apartment complex to see if she was home. A woman matching Paige's description had arrived at the gas station down the street, requesting to use a phone and was instructed to use the payphone behind the building. She wasn't seen again, and the security cameras of the gas station were a bust – the weather had messed with the system and nothing could be salvaged. While Cabe told him to wait for confirmation, Walter couldn't sit still. He pulled up his computer and hacked into the gas station's surveillance system, using his phone as a Hot-Spot. He had to see for himself if Cabe was telling the truth. He skimmed over all of the footage. Nothing. Absolutely nothing!

Cabe startled him when he touched him on the shoulder. Walter lifted his eyes towards Cabe and held his breath. "She's there…. She's home. She was taking a shower when the team had the landlord unlock her apartment for them. She probably called a cab last night and went home. The investigation will now be handed over to the LAPD since there's no missing person anymore; they might stop by her apartment later and ask her to make a statement. Perhaps…," Cabe shrugged, "you should go over there and check on her. Just to make sure she's okay."

"Okay." Walter nodded with relief. She was home and safe. Though, he couldn't help but wonder why she would call a cab and not him to pick her up. It seemed odd for Paige to use cab service to get home; then again, he was busy watching Ralph so it's possible she didn't want to disturb her son's sleep. Yeah. That was the only explanation that made sense. That had to be it."

Walter hopped back into his car and sped down the road until he reached her complex. He parked in a visitor's spot, got out of his vehicle and took the elevator to her apartment floor. He knocked on her door. No answer. He pressed his ear against the wood but didn't hear any water running. He dug through his briefcase and pulled out the spare key Paige had given him a few weeks ago and inserted it into the keyhole. He gave the handle a turn and pushed the door open. The apartment was quiet. He frowned. Where was she? He walked towards the hallway and headed for her bedroom. He sighed with relief when he saw her lying down on her bed; her sleeping attire was odd, though. It was too warm for Paige to be wearing sweats this time of year.

He called out her name as he approached her. She didn't respond. He circled around her bed, and every fiber of his being boiled with anger when he saw the dark bruises on her face. Both eyes were black, and her lips were cracked and swollen. He noticed her fingernails; they were raw and chipped. As much as he wanted to storm out of the apartment and rip apart Los Angeles to find the person responsible for her injuries, something told him he needed to stay. Something told him she _needed _him to stay. He knelt down to the floor and carefully pushed back her hood; more bruises unveiled themselves. He tried speaking to her again, but she didn't respond. She didn't even blink.

He didn't know why but he felt the need to comfort her, though he didn't know how. It pained him to see her in such a state. He raked his hand through his hair and felt defeated. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to be there for her, and not knowing was driving him insane.

He remembered when he was recovering from his snake bite; he was sleeping in the room at the Summit, and he was sure he felt a pair of soft hands hold his as he slept. The feeling of Paige's hands touching his after his brush with death soothed him and brought him a sense of comfort he never felt before. So… he slowly reached for her hand and covered it with his own.

She flinched at his touch, but he didn't retract his hand.

"I'm not going anywhere…." Walter spoke softly; he didn't know what else to say. What _could _he say? "I promise."

And then she started to cry.

…

And as he heard her aching sobs, he felt like he had failed her.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

So… even if you hate this story, I'm going to continue it. I love putting characters into testy situations in order to see how they react to certain scenarios. This will be a mini multi-chaptered story. Not as long as _Deception _or _Mind Games _but long enough to keep me preoccupied.

So… love it or hate it, please review and let me know what you think.

There are lyrics at the beginning of each chapter; I will post the artist and the song where those lyrics came from at the end of the final chapter.


	2. Broken & Useless

**WriterFreak001: **

Updates will not be as frequent as _Mind _Games. Since this story covers sensitive material, I want to take a little extra time with each chapter. Updates will be frequent but not as frequent – between 1 and 3 days.

PS. I was actually surprised that the prologue was well-received for the most part. Anyway, here is the next installment.

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 1: **

**Broken &amp; Useless  
**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Same old game of plastic smile... _

_Don't let anybody in...  
_

…

_She felt like a million shattered pieces after her attacker left her in the rain as though she was nothing more than a piece of trash to him. She didn't know what to do, and for several minutes, she did nothing. What could she do? No one heard her screaming. No one came to her rescue. She had been violated. She felt contaminated. Broken. And the first thing she did after processing the last several moments of painful eternity was roll over to the side and vomit into the wet asphalt. _

_For reasons unknown, she felt like she had betrayed Walter. _

_Over the last six months, she had fallen in love with him, and she was aware of his growing affection towards her too, but she knew – on an emotional level – Walter wasn't ready for anything more than friendship. So she respected his need for emotional distance and had decided not to act on her feelings until she knew he was ready for the next step. _

_After tonight, there was no way Walter could ever want to be with her; she had been ravaged and soiled; she was filthy. Trash. Defiled in ways she never wanted to accept, but the anguish and affliction she felt was proof of her desecration. Proof of her idiocy – it was her fault. She brought it on herself. Had she only been paying attention to the road instead of daydreaming about the man who had often made her smile, she would be home. She would be safe. She would be happy. _

_But she wasn't home, and she wasn't safe. _

_And her smile lost its will. _

_She was stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. And she paid the price for it. _

_She didn't remember standing up nor pulling up and buckling her pants. She didn't even remember calling for a cab, but that was what she did. She couldn't face Walter nor anyone close to her; they wouldn't understand her agony – the people on whom she depended were ill-equipped. She couldn't get them involved; they did not need to know. That was what was best. No one needed to know. _

_The scars she now carried were hers to bear alone. _

_That was how it had to be – what it needed to be. _

_She was silent the entire way home; she sat in the back of the cab, and the driver didn't ask questions nor even look at her. She told him where to go, and that was all she said. Nothing more. Her fingers trembled as she paid him in cash and walked towards her apartment complex without retrieving her change. She barely remembered taking the elevator to the floor of her apartment, but the moment she was home, she locked the door, folded her arms in front of her shivering body and sank to the floor as everything came crashing down. She found it hard to breathe. Tears stained the carpet as she bent over and slowly rocked herself. She couldn't stop shivering. She couldn't stop crying. _

_She couldn't stop the weight of the world from crashing on top of her. _

_She felt crippled, disabled, diseased and ruined. _

_She was bruised and broken. _

_Her very essence was hurled into a world of darkness, and she was alone in it. _

_And she was lost._

**~ SCORPION ~**

_Sometime during the night, she found herself rising to her feet and peeling off her clothes as she made her way to her bathroom. She turned on the shower, wanting to destroy all evidence of her affliction, but she couldn't bring herself to stand in the shower. The shower was like rain, and rain brought her back to the painful memory. "No, no, no!" She screamed and grabbed her head. "Please stop! Please!" Flashes of the hooded man plagued her mind. Her body. She couldn't purge the memory out of her mind. "PLEASE!" _

_She stepped away from the shower and slipped on her underwear; she fell hard on her rump, bringing her back to reality. She glanced at the white, lacy material and wanted to vomit; it was soiled with evidence. She didn't even know she had reached for it until it was crumpled up in her hand; she immediately shoved it into the trash bin where it belonged. Where she thought she belonged, too. _

_She realized she needed to get rid of everything. Everything that would remind her of things she wanted so desperately to forget. Everything that would trigger more tears and misery. She scrambled to her feet and snatched her scattered, sullied clothes off of the floor and crammed them into the trash can too. She needed to burn them. She needed to destroy everything. _

_She needed to destroy every last object that made her feel destroyed in return. _

_But as she searched for a matchbook in the cabinet of her bathroom, she froze after spotting her reflection in the mirror. She hardly recognized herself. Dark bruises covered her naked body. Welts had formed on her sides from shaking her body side to side when she was trying to push her attacker off of her. She hated the way she looked. She felt ugly and undeserving. Something possessed her to grab her hairdryer and thrash it at the mirror. She let out a frustrated scream as it shattered into hundreds of cracks spiraling out in different directions. _

_The mirror now reflected everything she felt about herself. _

_Broken pieces.  
_

_She felt like the beast who had slashed his portrait with his claws, and she resented herself. She felt hideous. A monster reborn. She didn't remember turning off the shower, but the water stopped running. And yet her pain worsened. She needed to hide herself from the world; she wanted to burn off her skin and purify it. She wanted to take a knife and carve off the evidence, but she couldn't bring herself to cause more self-affliction. She had a son to think about. _

_Oh, God. Ralph. What would he think? She was supposed to be the strong one; she was supposed to protect him, but how could she protect her son if she couldn't even protect herself? She was a failure. A dirty, rotten failure who deserved everything she had endured for being stupid. _

_She just wished all of this could go away. She needed it to go away, but how could she will it to disappear if it constantly plagued her mind? How could she forget and move on as if nothing happened? She would give anything for a 197 IQ right now. _

_She eventually pulled on a pair of sweats and slipped into bed, wanting so much to wake up and realize she was living a nightmare. _

_She would not fall sleep, though. _

_She couldn't. _

_She was too scared to close her eyes. _

_She was frightened within her own home, and she didn't know what to do but to lay in her bed and stare at the wall with emptiness. _

**~ SCORPION ~**

_Her body eventually gave into exhaustion, and hours after she curled up within her bed, she fell asleep where nightmares only existed. She tossed and turned and pleaded for help, and as everything replayed inside her mind, she jerked forward in her bed and let out a scream as her eyes flew open. _

_She was home. _

_Still in her room. _

_Still broken. _

_A few hours passed and the sun was warming up her room, but she didn't feel its warmth as it blanketed her body. She was still shivering, and she felt even more repulsive. Her entire body was burning with pain, and she wanted to shrivel up in her bed and wither away. She didn't want to face the world – especially Walter and her son. _

_What would she say to them? _

_What could she say? _

_Loud knocks startled her, and she nearly screamed. Agents from Homeland were standing outside her door. She didn't want to talk to them. They wouldn't understand. No one wound. She slid out of her bed and teetered to her bathroom. She turned on the shower and locked the door behind her. She heard footsteps walking into her apartment. They called for her. She didn't want to speak, but she knew that if she didn't' say something, they wouldn't stop pestering her. She shouted from the bathroom with her hoarse voice, telling them she was in the midst of her shower and wouldn't be out for quite some time. An agent quickly said Homeland was only doing a favor for Agent Gallo and checking in on her. He then noted that LAPD would be handling the case from now on. Her heart stopped. Did they know? "W-what case?" She found herself asking through the door. _

"_Your car, ma'am." _

"_O-oh." She placed her hand on her heart. "Okay." _

_They didn't know. _

_Her breathing started to quicken. _

"_Ma'am? Are you all right?" The southern Homeland Security agent asked with deep concern. _

_She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I-I'm f-fine." She forced the words out of her mouth. "Just…sh-shaken up fr-from the a-accident." _

"_Oh. Of course. My apologies, ma'am. We'll be out of your hair in a second, and I will personally inform Agent Gallo that you're fine. Have a good day." _

_As she heard footsteps retreating from her bedroom, she leaned against the door and covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. She was far from fine, and then the noise of the shower water flooded her mind. She was back behind the gas station, and everything was falling apart all over again. _

…

_She didn't remember when or how she turned the shower off or made it back to her bed, but the water had been killed, and she was curled up in her bed, facing the wall. Her hood masked her from the world, and she laid there in silence. She stared for minutes upon minutes. Never blinking. The wall was expressionless. It matched the emptiness she felt inside of her; it matched her worthlessness and her triviality. The walls around her trapped her within a mausoleum of desolation and desecration, and she was drowning. _

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige had fallen asleep hours later, and Walter refused to leave her side. As much as he wanted to call the team, he wasn't sure if involving them would be the right move. Honestly…, he didn't know _what _the right move would be. Should he call the police? Should he call Cabe? Call a support hotline? Should he wait until Paige was in a better frame of mind before taking some sort of action? Questions with unsolved answers filled his mind, and he didn't know how to process them. There had to be _something _he could do – something that would fix this problem. Everything had to have a solution so there must be one for Paige. There had to be. While he had a hard time processing emotion, he still hated seeing her in tears. He recognized the emotions involved, but he hated not being able to empathize whatever she was going through.

He didn't know what had happened to her last night, but he knew she suffered through something earthshattering. The bruises on her face were substantial evidence that someone had gotten to her, and someone had hurt her.

And he wanted to hurt whoever had made her cry.

And whenever he finds him, he was going to make sure her attacker paid the price – whatever means necessary. He noticed the mess in the bathroom; there was broken glass on the floor. Curiosity bested him so he slowly slid his hand away from Paige's and pushed himself to his feet. He took one step away from her, and for some unknown reason, he knelt down and planted a light kiss on her forehead. Even in her sleep she flinched to his touch, and he was beginning to wonder how a tactile person like Paige was going to overcome whatever she went through. But whatever it was going to take for her to smile again, he was going to be the one to find it. She always smiled for him whenever he was having a rough day; the least he could do was attempt the same.

He stepped into the bathroom and spotted the mirror. It had been completely destroyed. He crept out of Paige's bedroom and went into her broom closet; he found a hand broom and a dustpan and then returned to her bathroom. He started brushing the broken glass into the dustpan when he noticed droplets of blood leading from the bathroom to Paige's bed. He placed the cleaning devices aside and walked over to her; if she had cut her feet on the glass, they could get infected. He thought to wake her up but decided against it, knowing she needed her sleep. He slowly rolled up the covers from the foot of the bed until her feet were unveiled. He was right; they had been cut on glass. He stood up and searched for her First Aid Kit and determined it was in Ralph's bathroom; children were more accident-prone, and if the boy ever hurt himself, he would need easy access to a kit. He found one underneath Ralph's sink and sifted through the materials. He found some antiseptic spray, gauze and Ace bandages. Those would have to do for now.

He returned to Paige's bedroom and quickly addressed the wounds on her feet before recovering them with her sheets and comforter. As much as he wanted to know what other injuries she sustained, he didn't want to disrespect her privacy.

He walked back to the bathroom and resumed cleaning the floor as well as the counter of her sink. There was glass everywhere so he was careful and quiet, not wanting to disturb the woman he deeply cared for.

Suddenly, Paige started crying in her sleep. He raced over to her side; she was tossing and turning and flailing her arms about as she begged someone to stop touching her. She was crying, and her pleas were growing louder. Walter panicked; he didn't know what to do or how to help her. Somehow, he needed to convince her she was safe, but how?

"Paige," He spoke her name softly as he shook her gently, "Paige, you're okay! You're safe!" She continued moving in her sleep. Without thinking, he gripped her shoulders and called her name with more conviction, but she shrieked and threw a punch at him in her sleep. He fell backwards and coddled his eye as he rose to his feet, not sure if he should approach her again. Perhaps he should let her episode pass before coming near her; he realized his error the moment her fist made contact with his face; he shouldn't have grabbed her shoulders – that was a mistake. He didn't blame her for her sudden punch; he had asked for it the moment he tried shaking her.

He slowly walked up to her and quietly called out her name. Her panic attack had stilled, but she was still whimpering and quaking with fear. Instead of touching her with force, he gently brought his palms to her bruised face and rubbed his thumbs along her swollen cheeks; he remembered when she was teaching him how to respond to a flirting woman – how it felt to have her soft fingers against the sides of his face. Her touch had soothed him so, as an experiment, he wondered if his touch would have the same effect. He whispered to her in a calm voice, telling her she was safe. Telling her he wasn't going to let anything else happen to her.

And somehow, his touch and his words were working; she was calm again.

She was still sleeping, but at least she was calm.

As he slowly removed his palms from her face and straightened his back, he glanced at her sleeping form. Even broken, Paige Dineen was beautiful, and it pained and confused him as to why someone would want to hurt her. She didn't deserve any of it. Something had happened after her car wreck, and he knew those bruises were not inflicted by the accident. Something happened afterwards, and he was hell-bent on finding out – even if it meant breaking every law in Los Angeles to do so.

But first – Paige was his priority, and after the shiner she had given him, he realized he was ill-equipped to handle what she was going through alone. He needed help with or without Paige's permission.

Briefly, he stepped out of Paige's bedroom and sauntered into the family room, pulling out his cellphone in the process. He had five missed calls from Cabe, three from Happy and two from Toby. Sylvester sent a text, asking how Paige was in regards to the car accident. Ralph had also texted him, wondering if his mother was okay. They were all worried for her and had every right to be, but Walter didn't know if he could bring himself to tell them about the state in which he had found Paige when he first came to her apartment.

Before he knew it, he was dialing Cabe's number and placing his phone against his ear. Cabe answered after two and a half rings. _"About damn time you picked up your phone and called. How's Paige? Any injuries from the wreck?" _

Walter opened his mouth to say something, but no words surfaced. His throat was dry, and he couldn't bring himself to say anything. He didn't know what to say. Cabe's voice became serious. _"Are you still at Paige's?" _

A weak yes fumbled its way out of Walter's lips.

"_Say no more. I'll be there in fifteen." _And then the line ended.

Walter shoved his phone back into his pocket and ran to Paige's room when he heard a scream and a loud crash of glass. Her vanity mirror had been smashed in, and she was ramming the head of her flashlight into the mirror hanging on the wall. She was absolutely hysterical. Walter bolted up to her and grabbed the flashlight out of her hands.

"Give it back!" she screamed as she tried reaching for her flashlight. "I need it!" Tears were streaming down her face. "Give it back, please!" she pleaded. "Please!" Walter tossed the flashlight under her bed, and as she scrambled to fetch it, he grabbed her from behind and held her against him. "Let go of me!" She struggled against him. "I need to get that flashlight!" She continued squirming in his arms as she tried reaching for the flashlight underneath her bed. She kept shouting how she needed to destroy them all as she fought against him. But he didn't understand why. What purpose would destroying her mirrors serve? They grappled for minutes, and then, for reasons Walter didn't understand, Paige gave up fighting, sank into his arms and wailed against his shirt. He held her close to him, not knowing what else he should do to comfort her. He had never seen someone so traumatized before, and it sickened him to think of what Paige might have gone through to make her act in such a strange way.

Minutes passed, and she was calm again, but he didn't dare let go of her.

"I'm sorry, Walter," she suddenly mumbled against his shirt, "I'm so sorry." She repeated herself a dozen times, and as he was about to tell her she had nothing to apologize for, her dry voice added something he never expected to hear: "It's my fault he touched me." Walter froze and felt sick. "It's all my fault," she cried against him.

Walter was so focused on Paige that he didn't even notice Cabe and Toby standing outside her bedroom door until Happy swore under her breath and slammed her fist against the wall. Walter glanced at his friends with a pained expression; he didn't know what to do for Paige, and it was killing him to see her in so much agony.

He was lost, and he wasn't sure anybody would be able to help Paige; he felt handcuffed and all he could do was sit in the middle of Paige's bedroom and hold her as she cried into his arms. For a man with a 197 IQ, he felt useless.

And he hated himself for it.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Please let me know what you think.


	3. Oppression

**WriterFreak001: **

I saw the promo, and I am going to die waiting for it. X_X If you don't receive another update, you'll know I'm pushing daisies. (JK)…Rowling.

Anyway, thank you for the support so far. I am glad people are clinging to this story; it isn't easy writing it.

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 2: **

**Oppression**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Hiding my heartache... _

_Will this glass house break?  
_

…

Paige cried for what seemed like an eternity after Cabe, Toby and Happy had arrived at her apartment, and all Walter could do was keep her close to him. When she passed out from exhaustion, Walter rose to his feet, carried her to her bed and tucked her in. He stayed for a few more minutes and watched her sleep before leaving her bedroom to meet everyone else in the family room where they were patiently waiting for him to make an appearance.

"Cabe," Walter ran his hand through his hair and sat down on the sofa, "Call Sylvester. Tell him to hack into any and every surveillance system surrounding the gas station – if a camera picked up on something, I want to know about it."

"Now wait a minute," Toby walked up to Walter as the 197 IQ genius was about to give orders to Happy, "I think we need to take a step back here."

"No." Walter shook his head. "Whoever did this to Paige is still out there; I want that bastard found and incarcerated – whatever means necessary."

"I agree with Walter," Happy crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "The sooner that piece of scum is behind bars, the better."

"Yes, but I think we need to wait and see what Paige wants, first." Toby frowned as he took off his hat and combed his fingers through his hair, "I want that bastard locked up as everyone in this room, but we can't take a case that involves sexual assault or… worse… lightly. We rush into this and make a wrong move, things could backfire and that dickwad could go after Paige again."

"I won't let that happen," Walter folded his arms in front of him and shook his head violently. "Not again. We're going to catch this guy and show him what happens when someone messes with a member of the Cyclone." He rose to his feet and raked his hands through his hair. "We can't just sit here and do nothing."

"Okay," Toby challenged Walter as he stood up and walked over to the 197 IQ genius. "Say we do find a way to catch this guy; we can't bring him to the garage because your apartment, Walter, might be the only other place Paige feels safe. We take him to the garage, we could compromise her safety. If we hand him over to the police, the LAPD can only book him for 24 hours without cause; if Paige isn't ready nor willing to come forward to the police, they'd have to let him go."

"Then we don't hand him over to the police," Walter scowled. "Homeland has more manpower, anyway. Once we find him, we have him taken to Homeland." Walter gave Cabe a look of desperation. "That simple."

"While Homeland can lead an investigation because Paige works for the government under our supervision," Cabe's stern expression softened, "the same rules apply, kid. We can only hold her attacker for twenty-four hours without cause. Doc's right, Walter. We need to wait; a sensitive case like this is something that needs to be handled delicately."

"So you're suggesting we do nothing, then." Walter's insides were boiling with anger. "I'm sorry, but that is not a premise I can accept. If you're not going to call Sylvester, then I will." Walter dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Toby knocked the mobile device out of Walter's hand.

"Walter," Toby kicked the phone away from the angry genius, "You need to calm down and listen to me. Getting angry is _not _going to help Paige; I know you feel like you want to do something about this; believe me, we all do, but you have to stop and think about what Paige wants. She is the victim. Not you. Not Happy. Not Cabe nor Sylvester nor me. Paige is, and if she doesn't want to come forward or press any charges if or when we figure out who did this to her, then we can't make her do something she doesn't want."

"I can't just sit and do nothing!" Walter pushed Toby to the side and stormed towards his phone.

"Walter, get your ass back here!" Cabe called towards him as he headed for the door.

Toby ran up to him and grabbed his arm. "Walter, don't do this. I'm warning you. Paige is already suffering from being forced into something against her will; don't make her go through it again. She had her independence stripped away from her once already. Don't take that power away from her a second time."

Walter froze. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Paige, but he _had _to do something. He _needed _to do something. He turned around and inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly as he ran his hand through his unruly hair. "Fine. I won't do anything right now, but that doesn't mean I don't like it."

"Even if Paige isn't ready to come forward to the police," Happy frowned and jumped into the conversation, "I think we still need to gather whatever evidence we can on our end before it disappears completely. That being said, surveillance cameras within a good radius from the Shell station should be monitored ASAP. We don't have do anything with what we find just yet, but we still need to do something in the event that Paige wants to press charges. She'll have a stronger case."

"That is a good point," Cabe nodded. "Will you be all right, Walter, if Happy and Sylvester discreetly hit up the surveillance cameras and gather any evidence they might find to support the case? For the time being, we can keep Paige and the LAPD in the dark until she's ready to do something about it."

The plan was better than nothing. "Okay. Fine. Anything you find," Walter looked at Happy, "I still want to know about it. And don't tell Ralph about what you and Sylvester are doing. It's best he doesn't know what's going on; he won't be able to process it."

"Noted," Happy gave Walter a thumb's up. "I'll take a cab back to the garage. I'll call if Sly or I find anything."

After Happy disappeared from the apartment, Walter made his way to the sofa and sank into the cushion. He covered his face with his hands and released a frustrated sigh. Toby sat beside him, and Cabe placed his hand on the 197 IQ genius's shoulder.

"Walter," Toby released a sigh, "When she comes to, you need to be in there with her. You want to help Paige?" Walter glanced at him with a look of defeat. "Help her by being there for her; support her. She obviously sees you as her strong tower; why else would she cry on your shoulder? You might be the only one she trusts right now – save for Ralph, of course. So be there for her. Find a way to let her know she's safe and not alone. But, also, a word of caution: steer clear of initiating physical contact. Hold her hand, if you must, but don't embrace her or do anything else unless _she _comes to you first. If she hugs you, hug her back. Letting her come to you will give her a small sense of power and control over her life. The last thing we want is for her to have another episode; we don't want her to go into shock – it would be like going into the Rabbit Hole for her, and she very well might not come out of it. Are we clear?"

Walter nodded. "I understand."

"Also," Toby stretched his arms and stood up, "If she's in the mood to talk, don't press her into talking about what happened; when she's ready, she'll speak. However, it's important for her to decide whether or not she wants to go to the hospital for an examination; while it is encouraged, she doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to. Before she makes her decision, though, you need to also let her know that the hospital cannot legally involve the police without her consent. If she wants evidence collected in the event that she decides to change her mind, it's best for her to go to the hospital within 96 hours. Otherwise, the chances of collecting useful samples of DNA will be slim to none. But whatever you do, don't mention anything about the hospital until she's in a conversing mood. If you fail to do that," Toby lightly chuckled to ease the tension, "you just might get another shiner."

Walter had forgotten about the black eye Paige had given him; his eye didn't even hurt anymore. "Noted."

Before Toby could say something, Cabe circled around the couch and crossed his arms. "Could you give us a minute, Doc?"

"Sure." Toby nodded and made his way towards the door to the apartment. "I'll just be out here."

Once Toby closed the door behind him, Cabe sat next to Walter and said, "I've known you for years, Walter, and I know when something's bothering you. And something tells me a lot more than revenge is going through your mind right now. So what's going on, 197?" Walter remained silent. There were too many things going on inside his mind; he wasn't sure how to process them. "Walter?"

He released a sigh and buried his hair in his hands as he leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. "She s-said it was her f-fault." He looked at Cabe. "W-Why would sh-she think that? W-what would make her th-think that? B-b-because it's not her fault – so why?"

"I don't know, kid." Cabe touched Walter's shoulder. "Sometimes… sometimes trauma makes people believe things we can't comprehend. Maybe…," Cabe's expression softened, "Maybe it's easier for her to victimize herself in order to process what had happened to her. I'm not an expert, Walter, but it's not uncommon for victims of sexual assault and rape to buy into that concept. There might not be a concrete answer to your question, kid; one day, maybe not today and maybe not next week, but one day, she'll realize it wasn't her fault. It'll take some time, but she'll come around."

Walter groaned into his hands. There was so much he didn't understand! So much he _couldn't _understand! He inhaled a deep breath of air and let it out slowly. "Why would she continue to apologize to me? Did sh-she think I'd be mad at her for something like this? I don't understand," he shook his head violently and started growing frustrated. "I don't understand."

"I don't know that either," Cabe frowned.

Walter slammed his fists against the table. "Why is it that every time something happens to someone I care about, I can't do anything about it?!" He cowered over and buried his face in his hands. "I'm useless!"

"Walter, that's bullshit, and you know it." Cabe frowned. "You may be a lot of things, Walter O'Brien, but you are certainly not useless! So get that crap out of your head right now!"

"You don't understand!" Walter suddenly stood up and threw his hands into the air. "What good is it having an IQ of 197 when I can't use it to cure MS for my sister, or, or, or, or, h-help Paige w-when she needs me the most. I recognize emotions that are involved with what happened to her, but I can't process them. It is _killing _me to see her in so much agony and not be able to be there for her on an emotional level! I don't know how to be! I feel like I'm shackled to the wall, and all I can do is watch her torment herself when all I _want _to do is connect with her and be there for her, but I can't even do that right either!" He ran his hands through his hair. "So tell me, Cabe. If I am not allowed to send that son of a bitch to hell and can't find some way to be there for Paige, what am I supposed to do? Because, frankly, I have no idea, and I am going out of my mind, trying to figure it out!"

"Go in there," Cabe pointed to Paige's bedroom, "and figure things out _with _her. Based on your whole spiel, you shouldn't even be out here talking to me, kid. Where you need to be is with Paige so get your ass in there," Cabe started pushing Walter towards Paige's bedroom door, "and comfort the woman you love."

Walter froze as Cabe opened Paige's door and shoved him inside. "L-love doesn't exist."

"Yeah, and I was born yesterday," Cabe rolled his eyes and closed the door on Walter, mentioning something about dropping Toby off at the garage and checking in on the team.

Walter turned to see Paige still sleeping in her bed; he gulped and slowly approached her. He carefully laid down next to her on the bed, and for minutes, he was afraid to touch her, but after a while, something possessed him to rest his hand on top of hers; he wanted her to know he was there without waking her. Her subtleties did wonders for him so maybe, just maybe, holding her hand would do the same and would bring her a sense of comfort.

**~ SCORPION ~**

She opened her eyes to sound of her growling stomach, but she didn't have an appetite to eat anything. She wondered if she would ever want to eat again. She saw the destruction in her room and remembered how Walter had grabbed her and held her against her will in order to keep her from destroying the mirrors in her bedroom. She fought against him for many long minutes and gave up when she realized she had no power over him – he was too strong, and she was weak.

And she sank into his arms and cried for what seemed like hours. She soaked his shirt with her tears and muttered apology after apology to the man she loved. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she obviously did. It was now nightfall; she felt a heaviness of warmth on her hand. She turned and found Walter sleeping soundly in her bed, next to her. He was holding her hand in his. Why was he still here? Why was he holding her hand? Surely he should resent her! Surely he should hate her as much as she hated herself! As she fully became aware of her surroundings, she heard rain hitting against her apartment, and she instantly saw flashes of the hooded man again. She pulled her knees to her chest and rocked herself back and forth, begging her attacker to stop. Her breathing escalated, and she immediately felt sick to her stomach. She bolted from her bed to her bathroom and wretched into the toilet. Multiple times. A hand pulled her hair away from her face as she leaned into the toilet again. Her throat burned, and tears fell from her eyes.

As Walter reached behind her to flush the toilet, she hovered over the swirling water, waiting for the next round of nausea to surface. She vomited again and again, and she begged Walter to make _it _stop. She pleaded him to stop her pain as she felt his palm slowly rubbing her back. She still flinched upon his touch. She hated the person she's becoming – fearful of Walter's touch whenever he tried to console her. But he continued to rub her shoulders. Why? Why was he being so kind? He should be repulsed and want nothing to do with her! She had betrayed him in so many ways, but he was still with her. Why was he still with her?

She heard another flush.

"I don't know how," Walter muttered softly behind her. "I don't know if I can…." She felt torn. If Walter couldn't fix her pain, then who would? "B-but," Walter continued quietly, "I d-do know – w-with o-one h-hundred, um, one hundred p-percent c-certaint-t-ty th-that, um," she heard him swallow, "th-that I'm n-not going a-anywhere. Y-you're not alone i-in this, P-Paige. Y-You're not alone."

She closed her eyes as more tears fell. Her bottom lip quivered. "Why?"

"Why what?"

She met his gaze and fell apart, quickly finding herself wrapped tightly in Walter's arms. "Why did this happen to me? Why _me_?" She clutched his shirt and sobbed against him, "What did I do wrong?" Her cries grew louder as she repeated herself over and over again.

…

"_What did I do wrong?!"_

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I really struggled with this chapter. I started it over about five times, but I think I'm satisfied with the one I've written.

Anyway, let me know what you think. This story – however long it might be – will bring tears. I can promise you that. If I cry while writing them (and I usually don't have tear ducts!), then I can assure you that you'll cry reading them too.


	4. Confusion

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new other than this chapter. :)

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 3: **

**Confusion**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_How much will they take before I'm empty?  
Do I let it show?  
Does anybody know?_

…

After Walter carried her back to her bed, Paige couldn't go back to sleep; she was afraid to close her eyes. Afraid of losing awareness of where she was; she was afraid that she would fall asleep and wake up to find herself alone and abandoned. Walter was right next to her, though. She was holding him as she lay in her bed, resting her cheek on his shoulder. He was wide awake too, but he kept silent as she sought comfort in him.

Despite her need for his proximity, she wanted to pull herself into a tiny ball and protect herself from the rest of the world. Walter had told her she wasn't alone, but he could never understand the emptiness she felt inside of her. She didn't think anybody could either. And even when she wasn't alone, she still felt isolated within the shattering sea of her broken pieces.

Walter and Paige didn't speak for hours; the bedroom was filled with an eerie, heavy blanket of silence, and the pounding rain didn't make the deafening reticence any better. Paige's fingers tightened their clutch on Walter's shirt as silent tears fell down her cheeks, and she wondered if she would ever stop crying. She felt weak and pathetic, and all she wanted was for everything she was feeling to go away. She felt so numb; she was barely aware of Walter's ghostly palm encasing her fist. She still couldn't understand why he was still with her; why he was slowly combing his fingers through her gross, greasy hair. She had been contaminated; he should want nothing to do with her. So why? "Why are you still here, Walter?" Her voice was dry and hoarse; she didn't even know she was talking until he answered.

"I told you once before, Paige." Walter gulped, but she refused to look at him, "I…I care about you."

"But why?" she heard her voice crack.

"I'm not understanding your inquiry, Paige." Walter muttered softly.

"Never mind. I-It's stupid." Stupid, just like her. She lifted her head from his shoulder and sat up in her bed, pulling her knees to her chest. How could he understand? He's too ill-equipped. He can't process anything she's feeling so what was the point in trying?

"No. I want to hear it." Walter sat up as well and rested his back against the headboard. "Nothing you say is stupid, Paige."

"Just forget about it," she mumbled as she pressed her forehead against her knees and closed her eyes.

A long moment of silence passed between them. Walter was the first to break it. "I, um, I d-don't just c-care about you, P-Paige." Paige's eyes shot open, but she didn't move. "I… I… I w-want to b-be, um, t-to be here for you…, t-t-to t-take c-care of you…, t-to pr-protect you…." He paused as she slowly turned to meet his gaze. He reached for her hand and interlocked his fingers with hers. "I w-want to be the one t-to help you g-get through this." She was rendered speechless; she didn't understand why he was so desperate to help her. In so many ways, she had betrayed him, and yet, he hadn't looked the other way. Why? "I _n-need _to be the one that helps you through this."

No. She couldn't ask him to get himself involved. It would be unfair to him. So many conflicting feelings swirled inside of her. She needed him, but she didn't feel worthy of him. She didn't feel worthy of anything anymore. "Walter…," she blinked back her tears, "I…c—"

"—It's my fault, Paige," Walter said quickly, catching Paige off-guard. Hints of guilt were written all over his eyes. "It isn't yours;" he shook his head and then nodded, "it's mine." He struggled to speak. "I sh-should h-have pr-protected you, Paige." He ran his hand through his unruly hair and inhaled a deep breath, "I should have been there… or _something_."

Paige's nose began to burn, and her lip started quivering again. "Don't do this, Walter," Paige closed her eyes, "Please. It's not your fault," she felt tears threatening to spill and pulled her hand away from Walter's, "I don't want to talk," her breath hitched as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"But it _is _my fault, Paige!" Walter startled her as he let out a frustrated groan and clutched his hair. "Don't you get it?! I should have protected you!"

"Please," Paige silently begged Walter to stop talking, "Please stop."

But he continued. "But I failed you, Pai—"

"I said I didn't want to talk about it anymore!" Paige shouted as she gripped her head. Walter instantly clamped his mouth shut as she turned away from him and curled into a ball. Silent tears fell from her eyes as she stared at the shattered mirror in front of her.

"Paige," Walter's tone was guilt-ridden. She felt his palm against her shoulder; she flinched and the warmth was gone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mea—"

"Just… go away," Paige pleaded as more tears fell down her cheeks.

"Paige…."

"Just go!"

Silence.

"Okay."

And when she heard her door close, she cried into her pillow.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter slowly walked out of Paige's bedroom; he felt a tinge of guilt in the pit of his stomach as he closed her door. He was such an idiot. When he heard her crying again, he clenched his fists. He had done that – he had made her cry. He stormed into the kitchen and slammed his fists against the counter. Dishes clashed against one another.

He had lied to Cabe when he denied his feelings for Paige to him; for years, he kept telling himself love didn't exist for most of his life, but the woman he had fallen for had slowly changed his perspective on the concept of love. He would be lying to himself if he didn't admit to the fact that he loved Paige. God, he loved her; she was in every fiber of his being. She was the one who kept him awake at night. She made him smile, and her presence often lit up the entire room.

He hated seeing the woman he loved so broken; he would do just about anything to see her smile again. There were so many things swirling inside of his mind; he barely had a handle on his emotions. He was beyond angry at the man responsible for hurting Paige; he was angry at himself for not being there for her. He was confused because Paige kept claiming the whole ordeal was her fault and her fault alone. He didn't understand why she would think it was her fault. Why did she victimize herself? Why would she break her mirrors? He was greatly frustrated; he couldn't pursue the bastard. He tried to be there for Paige, but he couldn't even do that one right either. He was handcuffed, and not being able to do anything was eating him alive. So many more emotions he didn't understand were spinning within him, and it was infuriating! How could he even begin to understand what Paige was going through if he couldn't recognize the feelings he was experiencing?

His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten since he had ordered pizza for Ralph the night of Paige's attack. He wasn't in the mood to eat, though, and he doubted he would be for a while. He sauntered to the couch and buried his face into his hands.

All he wanted to do was help her, but he didn't know how.

He didn't know how.

And so, for the first time in a very, _very _long time, he silently cried into his palms.

**~ SCORPION ~**

While Toby and Sylvester had fallen asleep after long hours of watching the surveillance systems surrounding the Shell station, Happy refused to quit working. The sooner she could find that son of a bitch, the better. Even if Paige decided not to go to the police, that bastard was going to pay. Happy would make sure of it. If she had to confront him herself and in secret, she would; no one ever got away with going after one of her friends. He deserved far worse than prison; castration seemed more fitting.

Happy hated how a lot of men viewed women in today's society; they often think it's okay to call a woman _toots_ or _sweetheart _or _sugar _simply because she has boobs. Well guess what, women also have fists too, and Happy quickly reminds these hooligan-wannabes that women are not to be taken lightly. She was not weak by any means, and if anybody ever told Paige that she was weak after what she went through, Happy would gladly introduce them to her fists.

Paige wasn't weak.

She's a survivor.

She might be dealing with some emotions that Happy couldn't understand, but she certainly wasn't weak. If anyone was weak, it was the bastard who thought it was okay to force himself on her friend. He was the one who had the weak resolve – the one who needed to take someone's power away in order to make himself feel powerful in return. Happy sure as hell was going to show him how weak he really was.

Even though she hadn't known Paige as long as she's known Walter, Toby and Sly, Happy had grown fond of the woman; it's hard enough stimulating three highly-functional testosterones on a daily basis – Paige had made the workday easier for Happy (though she'd never admit it). It was nice to have another power-driven female on the team. And Paige was strong; she's _still _strong – she just needed time to believe in it again.

Happy continued to stare at the monitors, but she had gone through every footage three times in the last twenty hours. She was getting nowhere. Even if the cameras had picked up on something, it was raining like hell outside; clear images were impossible. She spent the next half hour going through the footage again.

Nothing.

She slammed her fists against her desk.

"You punch your desk any louder, you'll wake Ralph up." Toby chuckled as he walked over to her desk.

"Not in the mood for jokes, Doc. I'm busy here." Happy clicked on the video files and started from the beginning.

"I see that." Toby crossed his arms in front of him. "Perhaps you should take a break and get some sleep."

"Since Paige can't take a break from this hell, I'm not taking a break." Happy snapped as she viewed the first file. Toby closed her laptop. "You're crossing dangerous waters, Doc."

"Happy," Toby frowned and leaned against the corner of her desk, "What happened to Paige is unthinkable; it's bothering all of us. Go get some sleep; I'll view the files while you're resting. Okay?"

"No." Happy opened her computer, "Not this time."

"It seems like you're taking what happened to Paige personally." Toby said as he took off his hat and dropped it onto Happy's desk. "Is there a reason for that?"

Happy looked up at Toby. "Paige is my friend," Happy folded her hands across her desk. "I don't have many friends so when something happens to one of them, yeah, I make it my business. You have a problem with that?"

"None at all," Toby shrugged and smirked. "I think it's kinda hot."

Happy rolled her eyes. "If that's some code for wanting to get into my pants tonight, I'm not interested."

"Give me a little more credit than that, Happy," Toby touched his chest. "I'm wounded here."

Happy rolled her eyes again. "Grow a pair."

"I have a pair," Toby chuckled and leaned down closer to her ear. "And last I checked," he winked, "you weren't complaining."

He leaned in to kiss her, but she grabbed his hat and gently pressed it against his face. "Stop distracting me; I've got work to do." She returned her attention to her computer as Toby pulled his hat off of his face and walked off to get some coffee. She continued scanning the footage.

Still nothing.

She restlessly tapped her fingers along her desk as she went over all of the details she knew from speaking with Cabe and the LAPD when she assessed the damage of Paige's car. The front right tire had popped from rolling over shards of glass. Paige's car swerved and wrapped around a palm tree. The airbag deployed. Paige was all right enough to leave the vehicle, unharmed. Paige had gone to the Shell station down the street, and the cashier – from what the LAPD had said – claimed a woman matching Paige's description was in need of a phone. No doubt to call Walter about the wreck. The cashier should have lent her cellphone; there was no logical reason for her to send Paige outside to the payphone. Since Paige never called Walter, the attack had to have happened somewhere near the payphone. That was where they were focusing their search through the surveillance feed.

But Happy knew Paige; Paige often had strong instincts and usually followed them. If Paige didn't have time to make a phone call to Walter, then the attacker had to have been close by the phone when she approached the back of the station. If Paige had a bad feeling, she would have turned around and wait everything out inside the station. What if she tried to leave? What if she tried to head back inside, but her attacker grabbed her and dragged her back behind the building? If that had happened, then Happy needed to widen the surveillance search a bit more; she needed to not only look for things _behind _the building but also the sides.

"Hey, Happy?" Toby called her out of her thoughts as he brought her some coffee. "Cabe said Paige called a cab to get home, right?"

"Yeah. It seems like she did, why?"

"Well…," Toby shrugged, "If we hack into the payphone industry and find out what time Paige made the call, we might have a good idea as to when the attack happened. It might make the surveillance search easier."

"That, and we need to widen our net a little bit," Happy said as she started typing into her computer. "If Paige tried to get away from her attacker before he advanced her, she would have turned a corner right?"

Toby's eyes widened. "Right! Meaning, she'd be facing the street when and if he grabbed her."

"I've been spending most of my time working on the footage that focused on the area _behind _the station. We need to be looking at the feed focusing on the _front _and _sides _of the station more acutely than the back." Happy skimmed through the footage from across the street that focused on the front of the station first.

"There!" Toby exclaimed, pointing at a woman who looked awfully similar to Paige; she was walking into the station. "11:36 PM – Paige's class gets out about 10 PM. Walter mentioned that she sometimes stays late to get some of her homework done so maybe she didn't leave her campus until 10:30 PM. Taking in account LA traffic and the longer route she takes home, I'm not surprised she was still out this late at night." Toby's eyes popped open. "There she is again!"

"She's walking towards the back." Happy muttered under her breath.

"Is there any way you can zoom in?" Toby leaned over Happy's shoulder.

"Don't insult me, Doc." Happy mumbled as she zoomed in on the image.

"It's still blurry with all of the rain." Toby squinted at the screen.

"Then we simply remove the rain," Happy murmured as she applied a Photoshop effect Walter had designed a while ago to the feed. "Now she's turning the corner."

"Note how she's holding her purse against her body," Toby whispered as he pointed to the screen. "She's definitely nervous about something."

And then it happened; out of nowhere, a hooded man came out from behind her and grabbed her. She was fighting. Kicking. Arms were flailing. He had dragged her to the back. Happy boiled with anger. She zipped through the footage and then played it when she spotted Paige again. A cab had arrived. She was slowly walking towards it and slipped into the back of the taxi before being driven off to her apartment.

"That bastard is going to pay," Happy clenched her fists.

"He will," Toby placed a hand on her shoulder. "But we still don't have an ID yet; his face was masked by his hood."

"Then we go back there…. Tonight…. And see if he shows up."

"Not a good idea." Toby shook his head. "We promised we wouldn't do anything with what we find until Paige is ready to come forward. She might have be the only one who knows what he looks like; we can't just ask people if they've seen a man in a hood; it'll be like asking Star City if they knew who the Green Arrow was. Everybody owns a hoodie so other than proof of the attack, we don't have much to go on."

"I know you're trying to do the respectful thing, Doc, but sitting here and doing nothing about it is not an option." Happy rose to her feet and started packing her things. "I don't know about you, but I'm going back to the station and am going to have a little talk with the cashier."

"At five in the morning?" Toby followed her. "I'm all for breaking rules and conducting our own investigation when people piss me off, but like I said in Paige's apartment today, we can't be too reckless. We should do things by the book this time."

"By whose book?" Happy challenged. "The shrink book?"

"Happy," Toby circled around her and blocked her from going towards the door, "Think of what you're doing. Do you really want to open a can of worms by going to that station and conducting your own investigation? We do this incorrectly, Paige's attacker could be tipped off. Judging by the way he concealed himself with a hood means his attack, in some way, was premeditated. He purposely hid himself because he did not want to be identified. He might even be in the system or have an APB put out on him; he could be very dangerous, and until we know exactly who we're dealing with, it's best to keep what we find to ourselves. We can give our information to Cabe and to Walter, but I highly recommend against working on this case without Cabe and without Paige's consent."

Happy closed her eyes and sighed. As much as she wanted to ram her fist into the hooded bastard's face, the Doc was right. Doing something reckless could blow up in their faces. "Fine." If she _accidentally_ bumpedinto that dickwad at a certain Shell station at night, she was going to light his balls with her blowtorch and castrate him. But the Doc didn't need to know that. "Let's call Walter. He should probably see the footage first."

"No." Toby shook his head. "Let's call Cabe. Walter is dealing with Paige right now; we don't know the extent of her emotional and mental stability right now. Knowing Walter, he'd want to see the video ASAP. It might be better to call Cabe first and see what he thinks."

Happy combed her hand through her hair as she walked over to her desk and dumped her stuff. "Okay. Call him, then."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige slowly slipped out of bed and sauntered to her bathroom; she didn't close the door nor turn on the light. She glanced at the mirror on her way to the toilet. She looked as disgusting as she felt. Her hair was unkempt, her cheeks were stained with mascara and tears, her face was swollen and lips were cracked. She hadn't brushed her teeth nor taken a shower since before the attack; her breath smelt of stomach acid and she reeked with sweat and body odor. She was an abhorring sight to behold. Her insides burned, and her body still ached. Her tired eyes found her nails, and she looked at her hands as though she had never seen fingers before. Her nails were stained with blood and were chipped from scratching her attacker. And when she noticed skin embedded within her nails, she snapped.

She frantically searched for her nailbrush and started scrubbing at her left hand. She scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. Her fingers started bleeding; she kept scrubbing, yelling at herself to get rid of the evidence! She had to get rid of the evidence. She scrubbed harder! And harder! And harder!

And then the brush was knocked out of her hands. When she turned to reach for the brush, hands grabbed her wrists. She tried pulling her arms out of fingers. Control over what she wanted was being stripped away from her again. She had to get rid of the evidence! She _needed _to get rid of everything! She was yelling incoherent things at the strong arms stealing her control from her.

She heard her name, but she didn't know where it was coming from. The world around her seemed hazy – muted. All she saw were arms and hands restraining her. She tried yanking herself away when she saw the hood. She pushed. She pleaded. She fought. She kept hearing her name. A voice. _His _voice. Her name and his voice; they both sounded desperate. She wanted to cry out. Call out. Scream. Yell. But no one had heard her. And the one who did only continued hurting her.

Suddenly, strong arms enveloped her. She heard his voice more clearly. She smelled his aftershave. His shirt. Her cheek was pressed against his chest and her fingers were curled close to her face. Her nails were bleeding on his shirt, but his arms still kept her close. He was gently rocking her in his arms. He whispered her name; she felt the vibrations of his voice and the movement of his lips against her forehead.

"You're safe…," he mumbled. "You're safe."

She leaned into his embrace as tears began to fall.

"Tell me what I can do, Paige," Walter pleaded as he continued to rock her in his arms. "Tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

"Make me forget! Please!" Paige begged as she closed her eyes and clutched his shirt. She felt so empty and began crying again. Her nose burned, and her chest felt heavy. "Make it go away!"

…

"_I just want to disappear!" _

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Another hard chapter to write!

In case you were wondering, I have never been through any sort of sexual assault experience. I've read a few books about sexual assault and rape and have also seen some movies about rape survivors. I take what I know from what I've read or seen on TV / in the movies and visualize myself in such positions. I ask myself what I would be feeling if I went through such a thing and pull those feelings from those visualizations.

If you are a survivor and are reading this FanFiction, I am giving you a standing ovation. You are my heroes. :) If you have any suggestions or find anything inaccurate, please PM me right away! I answer all PMs, and since this story is dealing with a sensitive subject, I want to make sure it is written properly.

Thank you!

(PS. I really enjoyed writing Happy's section! I LOVE FEMALE EMPOWERMENT!)


	5. Torment

**WriterFreak001: **

I made some last minute updates to the last four chapters… Just rearranging the lyrics that I'm using as forwards for each chapter. This story is going to be a lot longer than I originally anticipated because Paige will be on a rather long road to recovery. I hope you stick with me through it all. I PROMISE the next WAIGE fic I write will be a happy one. :).

Also, I've started taking Waige one-shot requests for my TUMBLR blog (a-beautiful-mind-wf001). Those one-shots will be published on my blog ONLY. I might transfer them over to FFN &amp; AO3 eventually, but not right now. You should check it out. There is one so far! :)

Anyway, thank you for the support for this story. It means a lot!

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 4: **

**Torment**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_But you see the real me… _

_Hiding in my skin…_

_Broken from within…_

…

_He had had his face buried into his hands for hours, and he barely knew how to handle all of the emotions swirling inside of him. He had let his foreign tears freely fall into his palms, and the longer he stayed outside of Paige's bedroom, the more frustrated he felt. He wanted to be in there with her, but she told him to leave. He wanted to find a way to comfort her, but he kept messing up. If he didn't say something stupid, he did something stupid. And for a guy with an IQ of 197, he felt very, very stupid. He would give anything to have a normal brain if it meant helping the woman he loved. _

_He hated feeling handcuffed, he hated the fact that the man responsible for Paige's brokenness was out there, somewhere, running free, while he was trapped – boxed in with helplessness. He wanted to storm through LA and find that bastard – show him what it meant to mess with his Cyclone. Yet…, he couldn't leave Paige. She was vulnerable, and he needed to protect her. He had to protect her. _

_More than anything else, he hated the fact that the woman he had grown to love was in agony, and yet, there was nothing he could do about it. No matter how hard he had tried to connect with her, he couldn't fathom the level of pain inflicted upon her. He understood the cause and the effect; he understood the reasons for her suffering, but he couldn't even begin to sympathize with her. _

_Even if he had a remote understanding as to how she was feeling, he didn't know how to respond to her pain. He could only process it as a fact that her pain and her agony were real, but he couldn't compute the emotions behind the facts. If he had a coffee mug, he would smash it over and over and over again until there was nothing left to smash. He felt helpless and useless, yet his need to help Paige was driving him over the edge. _

_Suddenly, his phone rang. He quickly lifted his head out of his hands and wiped his tears before pushing himself off of the sofa and making his way to his phone which was still on the floor after Toby had chucked it away from him earlier. He picked it up and checked the screen. It was a text from Cabe. Walter ignored it and dropped the phone into his pocket. He didn't feel like conversing with anyone – including sending and receiving texts. _

_Realizing he needed to keep up his strength, he slowly walked over to the counter and brewed some coffee. He took a sip of the hot liquid when he heard Paige screaming odd things again. He dropped the mug and bolted towards her room, finding her in the bathroom, scrubbing her fingers raw. He acted quickly and knocked the nailbrush out of her hands. As she scrambled to fetch it, he grabbed her wrists. It wasn't the smartest move, but it was the only thing he could think of; she started struggling against his grasp, but he continued holding her. She tried pulling her wrists out of his hands. She jerked and tugged and screamed at him. He didn't understand why she was acting so violently towards him. She began babbling pleas as fresh tears fell from her eyes. _

"_Paige!" He called out her name, hoping he could reach her. "Paige, you're okay! You're safe! It's just me!" Minutes passed as she continued grappling with him, but he kept trying to reach her. He was desperate to bring her back to him; he wanted so desperately to erase the fear within her eyes. He was at his wit's end when he realized he wasn't reaching her. He needed to do something to bring her out of her Rabbit Hole. Before he knew what he was doing, he pulled her into a strong embrace, holding her close to him. She began to calm down as he started rocking her in his arms; he didn't really know what he was doing, but it was working – that's all he really cared about. It was working. He whispered her name slowly and softly as held her in his arms. _

_If holding her was what she needed in order for him to protect her, he wasn't going to let go. He lightly pressed his lips against her forehead and muttered, "You're safe…" He closed his eyes and kissed her forehead again. "You're safe." His chest tightened as she began to cry again. He inhaled a deep breath and released it, tugging her closer to him. "Tell me what I can do, Paige," he pleaded. His eyes began to well up with his own tears as she trembled in his arms. "Tell me what to do, and I'll do it." _

_Her fingers clutched his shirt. "Make me forget!" Her words felt like bullets piercing his chest. "Please!" What she was begging him to do was embarking the impossible; he wasn't sure he knew how to help her forget. She clutched his shirt tighter. "Make it go away!" _

…

Walter inhaled a deep breath and slowly released it as he leaned against the bathroom wall with an impassive Paige in his arms. Hours after she had begged him to erase her pain, she had calmed down, but he knew she hadn't fallen asleep. Her clutch on his shirt was tight; her catatonic condition was worrying him, and he was beginning to think she needed more care than what he could give her.

What she needed wasn't him….

She needed a hospital.

Hospitals had sedatives; sedatives would help her sleep, and she needed sleep. She needed nutrition. The hospital could monitor her nutrition; he knew she wasn't eating – she hadn't eaten a single thing since he arrived to her apartment yesterday morning. She most likely didn't eat something when she came home either. He didn't want to be put in a position to force her to eat either; he didn't want to force her into anything she didn't want to do, but she did need medical treatment. He would try for her consent before taking her to the hospital first.

"Paige…?" He muttered her name softly and glanced at her. She didn't move, but her eyes slowly looked up at him. The lifeless stare she had concerned him. He remembered what Toby said about giving Paige the choice of going to the hospital, but he didn't think she would want to go on pure whim. He scratched his head and regretted the card he was going to have to play in order to convince Paige to go to the hospital. "Um… Ralph has been asking about you… He's worried… Everyone's, um, everyone's worried. They, um, they w-want to see you… especially Ralph."

She didn't answer him.

"Um…. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The silence was deafening, but she gave him a slight nod.

"Perhaps…, um, perhaps, before th-they see you, w-we could g-go to the, um, the hospital so, um, s-so you can g-get cleaned up a-and have y-your fingers ch-checked." Walter paused and then quickly added, "Th-that is, if you want."

Paige blinked and then gave him another slight nod.

"Is that okay?"

She nodded again.

"Okay." Walter muttered quietly before lightly pressing his lips against her forehead. He shifted until her legs were draping over one arm while her back was against his other arm. As he stood up, she continued pressing her cheek against his chest and clung to him like a little child. He scanned the bathroom and her bedroom to see if he needed to bring anything, but nothing came to mind.

His phone, wallet and car keys were already in his pocket. He needed nothing else.

Then he realized he couldn't drive without letting go of Paige. He opted calling 911, but he knew Paige wouldn't want to create a big deal out anything so after carried Paige to the couch and sat down with her still in his arms, he pulled out his phone and called Happy.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she found herself in a hospital room; she was connected to an IV, a BP monitor and other devices she didn't recognize. She remembered Walter holding her against him as Happy drove to the hospital like a madwoman. Paige remembered hearing Happy honking the van's horn, yelling at people to get out of her way. When they arrived, she was immediately seen. After she had given her written consent for the nurse examiners to conduct the examination, they took her to an examination room, but they wouldn't let Walter go with her; however, Happy stepped up and told the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners that they would have a big problem on their hands if they didn't let her through too. Paige didn't understand why Happy had offered to attend the examination and be her moral support. It wasn't like her to do that, but she did it anyway. It confused Paige.

Paige remembered questions being asked by the examiners. She remembered answering questions, but she didn't remember what those questions were. An examiner had asked her if she wanted to report her attack to the police. She was told she was under no obligation to report if she didn't want to, and if she chose to, she could change her mind later down the road.

She didn't want to report it.

She just wanted it all to go away.

Most of the examination was a blur. Perhaps it was for the best she didn't remember it. She didn't want to remember it. Any of it. She didn't remember if she had fallen asleep or if she was drugged, but she really didn't care. All she remembered was the fact that the examination happened and that a nurse helped her clean up afterwards.

Even though the grime had been washed away, her inward repulsiveness remained. She still blamed herself for what had happened and bought into a thousand lies, telling herself she was sullied, weak, ugly, contaminated, diseased…. The list continued. She had convinced herself _it _was an act of retribution for something she had done. It was the only thing that made sense to her because she didn't understand why it would happen unless she had asked for it in some shape or form. She couldn't fathom any other reason.

The examiners kept referring to her as a survivor.

She didn't feel like one.

Survivors were victors; she was no victor.

She wasn't strong.

She couldn't push him off of her. She couldn't stop him. No matter how much she had fought against him, she couldn't win. She didn't win. She had lost everything…her self-empowerment…, her trust…, her respect…, her dignity. She had lost it all.

So how could she be called a survivor when she couldn't win? It didn't make sense. None of it made sense. NOTHING ABOUT THIS MADE SENSE!

Paige scanned the hospital room; Walter was right next to her, holding her right hand. His fingers were laced with hers, and he was sleeping with his head resting against the side of the bed. Her knuckles were mere centimeters from his lips. Even after all she's put him through the last few days, he was still beside her. He was still with her.

She had punched him…

Fought against him…

Yelled at him…

Cried with him...

Held onto him….

Pushed him away from her…

Refused to speak to him…

And yet…

He never left her side; not for a minute.

He had seen the horrors of her brokenness, yet he's still next to her, holding her hand with gentleness. He had told her how much he wanted to be there for her and protect her, but he never told her why. Was it out of obligation? He said he felt responsible for what happened to her. But it wasn't his fault. She didn't understand why he was tormenting himself over something that had happened to _her_.

As she lost herself in her thoughts, she didn't realize Walter's eyes had opened and were watching her intently. She jumped when he softly spoke her name. "Paige."

She glanced at him and muttered his name. "Walter…"

"Do you need anything?" He quickly asked as he gently squeezed her hand.

She shook her head. "No."

"Okay," He nodded and raked his hand through his hair and then leaned back against his chair.

She avoided his gaze. "Walter?"

"Hm?" Walter was immediately at her side, waiting for her to continue. She slowly turned to find his gaze again. She didn't know how to ask him why he was still with her. She didn't know if he would understand her question or would be willing to answer her. She held her tongue and looked away from him. "What is it, Paige?" She couldn't stop tears from falling. "Paige?"

"Nothing…. Never mind…." She wiped her tears and turned from his eyes.

"Okay." Walter leaned back into his chair and continued squeezing her hand. "Just get some rest, I guess."

Paige nodded and leaned back into her hospital bed; she closed her eyes to mask her tears from Walter, only wanting this nightmare to end.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Let me know what you think.


	6. Innocense

**WriterFreak001: **

I nearly died from laughter after watching the sneak peek where Toby shows Walter his statistical analysis of Walter's changes before and after Paige started working for Scorpion. Only Toby would do something like that, and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

And I nearly died from depression after reading the spoiler for the season finale. I just don't know if my heart can handle that kind of emotion! (I say that, but here I am writing dark and depressing stuff for all of you). So intense.

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 5: **

**Innocence**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Unveil me completely…_

_I am loosening my grasp…_

_There's no need to mask my frailty…_

'_Cause you see the real me._

…

Walter rubbed his eyes and yawned as he glanced at the clock in Paige's hospital room. 11:36 PM. Paige had been sedated with a tranquilizer to help her sleep around 10 PM, and Walter was trying his hardest to stay awake. His hand was still holding hers as she slept silently. While visiting hours had ended several hours ago, Walter refused to leave and threatened to cause an uproar if anybody tried to force him out of the hospital. As he stretched his arms and his back, he glanced at Paige and tightened his hold on her hand. The bruises on her face were still present, and he knew she wouldn't be able to hide them from Ralph once she was released from the hospital.

Walter shifted his focus towards the door when he heard to soft knocks. Toby. Perhaps he had information about Paige's attacker. Walter slowly and carefully released her hand from his and quietly stepped into the hallway with his arms crossed in front of him.

"You look like hell," Toby mumbled, noting the bags under Walter's eyes as well as his unruly hair and his tear- and blood-stained shirt.

"Is there a reason you're here, Toby?" Walter yawned as he leaned against the wall, tempted to close his eyes.

"If you're asking me if I came all the way over here just to tell you that you look like you sauntered right out of an episode of _The Walking Dead_, I was totally doing that…," Toby smirked, "with, of course, some information on the sidelines."

Walter rubbed his eyes. "And that would be?"

"First thing's first…. Ralph is starting to ask questions." Toby folded his arms in front of him. "We've been keeping him in the dark about what's been going on with Paige, but Sly let it slip that she's in the hospital. Obviously, Mr. Mini Curiosity wants to know why." Toby peered inside Paige's hospital room and then returned his focus on Walter. "Since Parent Numero Uno is out-of-commission at the moment, can I have a comment from the future step-dad?" Toby pretended he was speaking into a microphone and then waved his fist in front of Walter's face.

"Um," Walter raked his hand through his hair, ignoring Toby's ridiculous end statement. "I'll talk to him tomorrow," Walter yawned again.

"Listen, Walt," Toby shifted his weight and leaned towards the tired genius, "I know you want to be here for Paige, but you need to go home and get some rest. Not to mention clean up a little too." Toby plugged his nose. "You stink!"

"I'm not leaving," Walter shook himself awake and ran his hand through his curls again.

"Paige will be fine in the hospital overnight; she has nurses watching her like an aerie of hawks, and due to the dosage of sedatives she was given, she'll be out for the entire night. Go catch some sleep and clean up;" Toby took off his hat and twirled it. "By the time you return, she'll be still asleep – or just coming out of it. Either way, she's in good hands. I'll even give you a ride so you don't have to call for a taxi."

Walter _did _need a shower and a proper night's rest, but the thought of leaving Paige did not sit well with him. He inhaled a deep breath of air and let it out slowly. "Okay," he caved (only because he knew that he needed to keep his strength up in order to be there for Paige when it mattered the most), "Let me just…get my things."

"Okay. I'll wait out here." Toby nodded and backed away from the door to Paige's hospital room. Walter stepped back inside her room and circled around her bed to grab his briefcase. After he slung the strap over his shoulder, he took a second to take in the sight of the sleeping woman. Even bruised, she was beautiful. As he reached for her hand and gently squeezed it, he leaned closer to her and lightly pressed his lips against her forehead. He was tempted, right then and there, to whisper how he felt for her, but he dismissed the idea almost as quickly as it came and slowly walked out of her hospital room, following Toby to his car.

**~ SCORPION ~**

The ride to the garage was silent; Walter didn't realize how tired he was until he leaned his head against the passenger seat of Toby's Monte Carlo. When they arrived to the garage, Toby had to nudge him awake. Walter's eyes fluttered open, and he quickly rubbed them before unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Sylvester and Ralph are still there." Toby said as Walter climbed out of the car. "Sly plans on crashing the night if that's okay with you."

"That's fine." Walter yawned. "Anyway, I'm going to take a taxi up to the hospital tomorrow morning. I'll be bringing Ralph with me; I think seeing him might brighten Paige's mood a little bit."

"Good idea." Toby gave Walter a thumb's up. "Anyway, get some rest, take a shower and change your clothes. Exclusively in that order."

As Toby sped off down the road, Walter swaggered to the door of the garage. He pushed it open and closed it as he sauntered towards the stairs. Sylvester was still up, writing algorithms on his board.

"Oh, Walter! I didn't know you were coming back tonight." Sylvester glanced at him as he stopped writing. "How is Paige?"

"She's…fast asleep," he forced a smile as he cracked his neck.

Sylvester placed his chalk down on its rack and approached Walter with a quiet voice. "Has Paige said anything about what happened?"

"Some…, but not very much," was all Walter would say on the matter.

"W-was it r-rape?" Sylvester stammered and then gulped when Walter sent him a glare. "I'm sorry, that was super insensitive." The human calculator quickly waved his hands in defense. "It's none of my business. Forget I even asked."

"Don't worry. I will." Walter snapped coldly.

"Right…. Well," Sylvester clapped his hands, "I know you're super tired so… goodnight, Walter."

Walter ran his hand through his hair after he placed his briefcase down on his desk. "Hey, listen. Sorry about that. It's…a sore subject, and I don't think we should really talk about it behind Paige's back."

"Oh, good. I hate deception anyway." Sylvester faked a laugh. "So…uh, how are _you _holding up?"

Walter forced a smile. "I'm fine."

"Th-that's good." Sylvester smiled and didn't question Walter's evasive response any further. "Anyway, Ralph is upstairs sleeping."

"Okay. Thanks, pal." Walter gave Sylvester a small wave goodnight and then ascended the stairs without another word. As he entered the loft, he found Ralph working on equations at his whiteboard. "Hey, buddy," Walter yawned and approached the boy, "you should be in bed."

"It's a Friday night," Ralph shrugged as he continued writing down equation after equation on the board. He then paused briefly and asked, "Is Mom back too?"

"No," Walter shook his head.

"Oh." Ralph answered with a dry tone as he returned to his equations.

"Hey," Walter rested his palm on Ralph's shoulder. "Let's talk."

"Okay." Ralph muttered as he pushed the cap onto the marker and placed it onto the rack of the whiteboard.

Walter led him over to the couch. "Why aren't you really sleeping?" Walter asked, recognizing the boy's habits. "Are you angry? Frustrated? Confused about something?"

Ralph shrugged. "Mom's in the hospital, and no one will tell me why."

Ah. So that's it. Walter inhaled a deep breath and released it. He ran a hand through his hair. "People, um, s-sometimes people do bad things t-to other people, okay?" Walter waited for the boy to nod before continuing. He needed to word his reply wisely. "Okay. A-and sometimes th-there's no l-logical r-reason as to why these people hurt other people. I-It's u-unfortunate," Walter quickly shook his head, "b-but it h-happens…a-and it s-sometimes happens to p-people we care about."

"Did someone do something bad to Mom?" Ralph's voice was shaky.

Walter released the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Yes…. Th-That's why she's in the hospital. Sh-She'll be there for a few more days."

"Was she badly hurt?"

"Yes." Walter nodded. He didn't want to lie to the boy. "She sustained a lot of injuries. B-but the main reason your mother is in the hospital has, um, well, it has a lot more to do with the way she's responding to what had happened to her than her injuries."

"I don't understand." Ralph blinked; his voice was still shaking.

Walter closed his eyes and tried to think of a way for the boy to understand. "I'm not an expert on psychology, but sometimes, when a person experiences a traumatic event, the brain does not easily forget the trauma. Simple things can often trigger bad memories from the trauma and make the person feel like he or she is experiencing the event all over again. Does that make sense?"

"So Mom is having nightmares?"

"In a way," Walter nodded. "Yeah."

"Will she be okay?"

"With time." Walter yawned. "Listen, buddy," Walter looked at his watch. 12:26 AM. "It's getting late, and I'm about to pass out from exhaustion; if you want, I'll take you to the hospital to see your mom tomorrow morning. Is that cool?" Ralph nodded with a smile. "All right," Walter ruffled his hair and rose to his feet, "Get some sleep. Okay?"

"Okay." Ralph gave Walter a quick hug and then ran off to the cot Walter had set up for him the other night on the other side of Walter's makeshift bedroom. Walter blinked and scratched his head before making his way to his bed himself.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige slowly opened her eyes to the bright lights of the hospital room and glanced at her surroundings. Walter was in the chair next to her, fiddling with his tablet, and, something she _didn't _expect, Ralph was sleeping in the chair to Walter's right. It didn't take long for Walter to notice she had opened her eyes. He quickly placed his tablet on the table next to him and was at her side in seconds.

"How did you sleep?" Walter asked as he reached for her hand and locked his fingers with hers. He had shown more levels of physical contact to her in the last few days than he's ever shown in the past sixth months, and she was beginning to wonder if it was out of the guilt he felt for everything that had happened.

She shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

He caught her glancing at Ralph. "I, uh, he wanted to see you…."

"Does he know?" Her voice was flat and emotionless.

"He knows enough," Walter turned to look at the boy and then met her gaze. "He was really worried for you."

"Doubt it," Paige mumbled quietly.

"Hm?"

"Nothing."

"Oh. Okay." Walter gulped audibly. Silence passed between them for several minutes. "I've been thinking," Walter leaned a little closer to her, "perhaps it might be ideal if you and Ralph stay at the garage for a while. Unti—"

"Until I'm not a crazy lunatic anymore?" Paige deadpanned quickly.

"I was going to say 'until you're feeling better.'" Walter blinked. "Will that be okay?"

"It's fine." Paige really wasn't in the mood to think on his offer.

Walter looked as though he was going to say something, but he didn't. Instead, Ralph hopped out of his chair with a big smile on his face and walked up to the left side of her bed. Without a single word, he crawled onto the bed and leaned his head against his mother's breast. Paige tensed at his sudden touch but calmed down, realizing her son wasn't a threat.

Walter rose to his feet and released her fingers. "I'll go get some coffee."

"Okay." Paige muttered softly as he disappeared from the room. She found herself ruffling Ralph's hair and pressing her cheek against the top of his head. She mindlessly pulled her son into her arms and held him close to her, wanting to shield him from the rest of the world.

"Mom?" Ralph mumbled softly, causing Paige to meet his ever-curious eyes.

"Hm?"

"Walter said you were having nightmares. Is that true?" Ralph blinked as he looked up at his mother.

Even though things were much worse than what her son could imagine, she nodded. "Yeah…. It's true."

"Okay. I'll stay then," Ralph whispered quietly. "You always held me when I had bad dreams so maybe if I hold you, your bad dreams will go away too." Ralph nuzzled deeper into her embrace.

Paige closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath as a tear fell down her cheek. She hugged Ralph tighter and kissed the top of his head. "Maybe," her lips trembled against him. "Maybe…."

She couldn't help but silently cry as her son held her, wondering if she would ever forget the nightmares plaguing her entire existence.

She doubted it.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I wanted to add a lighter chapter after all of the heavy feels the past chapters have given you so that's why I incorporated Ralph. :)

I hope the ending wasn't cheesy…. It's 2 AM where I live soooo I'm as tired as Walter is in the beginning of the chapter. LOL.

Anyway, let me know what you think.


	7. Admission

**WriterFreak001: **

TOMORROW IS SCORPION MONDAY!

That is all. ^_^

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 6: **

**Admission**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Painted on, life is behind a mask…_

_Self-inflicted circus clown…_

_I'm tired of the song and dance…_

…

_He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall as he left mother and son alone in the hospital room. He told Paige he was going to get coffee, and that had been his original plan, but something compelled him to wait around a few extra minutes in the hallway. He didn't know if it was curiosity as to how Paige would react with Ralph being so close to her, or if it was because he felt the need to stay close by for a little while longer in case Paige had needed anything, but whatever his reasons were, they didn't matter. _

_His only concern – at the time being – was Paige. _

_He was willing to turn down other government cases until Paige was feeling better; they weren't worth his time anyway if the team's liaison was devoid of emotion. He didn't like the idea of leaving Paige in the garage while working on a case; the only case the team would work on – if and when Paige was ready – would be finding her attacker and ensuring he received the proper punishment. Happy's idea of castration wasn't such a bad plan; Walter was thinking along the lines of erasing his entire existence as well as having him shipped to a country – like Bosnia or Cambodia – where no one would think to look for him. Even Antarctica wasn't such a bad idea either. _

_When he heard his name softly spoken from the other side of the wall, his eyes fluttered open, and he couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation between the woman he loved and the boy he adored. "…Walter said you were having nightmares." Ralph's voice was quiet, but Walter was still able to her the boy speak. "Is that true?" _

"_Yeah…," Paige's voice cracked, "It's true." _

"_Okay." Ralph spoke softly, "I'll stay then." There was a pause. "You always held me when I had bad dreams so maybe if I hold you, your bad dreams will go away too." _

"_Maybe," Paige muttered; her voice wavered. "Maybe." _

…

A fresh stream of tears fell from his eyes, and he wiped them quickly before anybody noticed his temporary moment of weakness. Hearing Paige's response to her son's statement was hard to interpret, but he had a small feeling that Ralph was going to be the one to help her through everything; his innocent mind was going to be the beacon Paige needed to move forward. Ralph was Paige's entire world; it would only make sense for Ralph to be the one Paige needed the most.

As much as Walter wanted to be the one to mend her broken pieces, he did not have the same significance in her life as Ralph did. It was no secret that Paige loved Ralph unconditionally, and Ralph – in his own way – loved his mother with the same regard. What Paige needed more than anything, in Walter's mind, was acceptance – love. Ralph – above anyone else – could remind her how special she was.

What Paige needed was not what Walter could give her – not in the way Ralph could.

Walter knew there was much more to Paige's _nightmares_ that Ralph didn't understand, but perhaps, it was for the best. Ralph didn't need to know all of the details – it wouldn't be something he'd be able to comprehend at such a young age.

And maybe that was what Paige needed right now.

To be seen through the eyes of a child.

And not through an emotionally ill-equipped idiot who only felt handcuffed every time she cried on his shoulder. She needed someone who knew what he was doing without knowing the source of her agony. The other way around was a hard concept to process; Walter knew – in very little detail – what Paige went through the other night; he knew the origin of her pain and her affliction. He knew why she cried, screamed and yelled and had fought against him.

But he didn't know how to help her.

He wanted to, but he was ill-equipped.

The bond between Paige and her son was not something he could ever compete with. He wouldn't want to compete with it. It was very rare for a parent to _want _to connect with a mentally enabled child; what Paige and Ralph had was beyond special. Anybody who believed otherwise was an idiot.

Maybe, with time, Walter would be what Paige needed, but right now, he wasn't. Right now, Paige needed Ralph.

And Walter was more than okay with that.

As Walter slowly walked about the hospital hallway towards the elevator to finally fetch his coffee, he lost himself in his thoughts; he was still having a difficult time accepting what had happened to Paige. He understood the cruel reality of rape and sexual assault, but he had a hard time grasping the rationality behind them. Questions without answers filled his mind, and they were eating him alive.

Why would someone want to hurt Paige?

She didn't do anything to deserve what she went through. It wasn't rational. Nothing about it was rational. But it happened. Regardless of rationality. It happened. And Walter was grasping at straws, trying to understand why someone would want to hurt Paige.

Why did she blame herself?

Why would she _want_ to blame herself?

It wasn't her fault. None of it was her fault. She couldn't have known she was going to wreck her car. She couldn't have known she would have to walk to a gas station to call for help. How would she know the payphone would be behind the building? Or that she would have been attacked? She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she couldn't have known that. She couldn't possibly have known that. How could she? How would she? For blame to exist, there had to be a conscious, calculated cause to the effect, but nothing, on Paige's part, was deliberately executed. So why blame herself?

He _could _only say that the person responsible for all of this was her attacker, but he would be lying to himself. He, too, was at fault. He hired Paige onto his company; he had an obligation to make sure she was safe. He had a responsibility to protect her just as much as he protected his friends by establishing Scorpion. He should have offered to escort her to and from her classes; if he was with her, he could have done something. He could have protected her.

He _should _have protected her.

He. Should. Have. Protected. Her.

But he failed.

And because of his failure, Paige was hurting.

It was his fault.

It was _all _his fault.

Walter reviewed the last few days in his mind and wanted to know why she had destroyed her mirrors. What purpose did it serve? What was she trying to accomplish?

Was it out of impulse?

Anger?

Hatred?

Fear?

Stress?

Frustration?

Affliction?

Or was it something else?

Walter didn't really pay attention as to where he was going. He never made it to the cafeteria; in fact, he found himself slowly making his way to the wing his sister resided. He didn't know why he was walking there; perhaps it was out of familiarity. He really didn't know nor really cared.

"Walter?" Clanking shook him out of his thoughts; he turned around and found his sister slowly making her way up to him. "I heard what happened," Megan muttered as he followed her to their usual meeting spot. "Is Paige all right?"

Walter remained silent.

Honestly?

He really didn't know.

Sometimes, she seemed… okay.

Other times, she seemed broken.

He really didn't know how to describe Paige's welfare.

Nor her mental stability.

Or her emotional state.

Nothing.

He knew nothing.

"Walter?" Megan's voice was soft and filled with concern. She sat down and leaned her supports against the arm of the chair. She reached out for his hands. "Don't shut me out, little bro. Not now. Tell me what's going on."

Walter sighed. "Paige is… dealing," was all he could say. There was no other way to describe what Paige was currently going through.

"I can't even imagine what she must be going through," Megan squeezed Walter's hands. "Is there someone with her right now?"

"Ralph's with her."

"Is there…," Megan leaned forward, "anything I can do?"

"I doubt it."

"So…," Megan hesitated, "has the bastard been caught?"

"No. We're waiting for Paige to make a decision for what she wants to do." Walter's tone was devoid of emotion. He was as emotionless as Paige was.

"Oh. That makes sense, I guess." Megan's expression softened. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine," Walter lied, forcing a smile. It died quickly.

"Fine, my ass." Megan snapped and pulled her hands away from Walter's. She crossed her arms and leaned back into the chair. "Look. I don't care what lies you have to tell other people in order to process everything that goes on in your life, but I'm not _other people_, Walter. So are you going to tell me what's up, or am I going to have to force it out of you?"

Walter groaned and leaned away from his sister. "You don't want to know how I've been holding up."

"I'm not asking." Megan deadpanned. "I'm demanding."

Walter shook his head and rose to his feet. "I'm not having this conversation right now." He's already had it once with Cabe. He didn't need another confession session – least of all with his sister.

He started to walk away when his sister called out to him. "Just what are you afraid of, Walter?" He stopped dead in his tracks. "Admission to your feelings for Paige? Pain? Guilt? Emotion?" She paused, "It's perfectly normal to have those kinds of feelings when someone you care about has been hurt."

"Newsflash, Megan! I'm not normal!" Walter threw his hands into the air and marched back towards his sister.

"No. You're not. You're not normal," Megan frowned, "but you _are _human, Walter, and I know for a _fact _that you're in love with her."

"And you're insane." Walter crossed his arms and shot a glare at his sister. While he had slowly came to terms with the fact that he had indeed fallen in love with Paige Dineen, it didn't mean he was ready to admit his feelings openly – especially to Megan.

"Oh please!" Megan fired back, "a blind dog can see it!"

Walter ran his hand through his hair and lowered his voice. "Even if that _was _true, which it _isn't_, but if it was, it wouldn't matter at this point."

"And why not?!"

Walter pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a groan. He shook his head violently. "I'm not having this conversation right now." He started to turn, but his sister pressed further.

"Walter," Megan grabbed his wrist, "the woman you love – don't give me that look! I'm not an idiot, nor am I blind! Just shut off your brain for a second and listen! – the woman you love is in an immeasurable amount of pain right now so you _better _give me one damn good reason as to why you shouldn't let her know how you feel. And don't you _dare _say that you're afraid of rejection because that would be pathetic! I've seen the way she looks at you. And if you want my opinion, I've never seen two people more in love than the two of you. So you better have a damn good excuse because frankly," Megan crossed her arms, "I don't see one."

"Okay!" Walter threw his hands into the air, not caring about the way other people were looking at him. "You're right! I do love her. Happy?!"

"Then what is stopping you from telling her?!" Megan matched Walter's level of anger. "You have your whole life ahead of you, Walter! Why not tell her and make the most of it?! Huh?!"

"Because Megan!" Walter ran his hands through his hair and released a frustrated grunt. "I can't give her what she wants! I'm ill-equipped, and people from left and right keep telling me to simply be with her! Let her hold me! Let her cry on my shoulder! Let her do this and that, and supposedly, whatever _this _and _that _is – they're supposed to help her get through all of this! But you know what," Walter started pacing and clenching his hair, "all I have seen her do is the exact opposite! She's not getting better with _me _around," Walter shook his head violently. "All she does is cry, and I _hate _seeing her in so much pain. I _hate _only being able to provide a limited amount of support, and it doesn't really matter _what _I do to try to ease whatever she's going through because it _seems _like I can't even do _that _right!"

Walter was beside himself, and now that he was pouring everything out, he couldn't stop himself. "I can't seem to be doing _anything _right! I wasn't able to protect her. I'm not able to comprehend half of the feelings she is experiencing, and I can't give her the emotional support she needs right now. I can't understand why someone would hurt her! I can't understand why she would blame herself for all of this, or why she would destroy her mirrors! Nothing about this mess makes sense to me and seeing her fall apart is killing me to no end! So what I personally feel – _how _I personally feel – pales in comparison to what she's going through! To what she's feeling every passing second! Even though I recognize the emotions involved, I don't know how to respond to her pain! Her agony! Her tears! Any of it! So what is the point of telling her, Megan," he threw his hands into the air and finally looked at his speechless sister, "if I can't even give her the emotional support she needs when it matters the most?!"

"Walter," Megan's voice cracked, "you can't hide behind the fear of emotional disconnection forever." Megan grabbed her supports and pushed herself to her feet. She slowly approached him. "You say you can't understand Paige's pain, but here you are, torturing and tormenting yourself over what happened to her. You might not be able to mentally process her affliction, but you sure are feeling it in your own way. You see her in pain so you…you find some reason to make yourself miserable too. You say you're confused about why someone would hurt her; don't you think Paige is confused too? Don't you think she asks herself those questions too?

"You say she blames herself then you go on and mention how you should have protected her. By default, you automatically assume that what happened to Paige was something you could have prevented. But you're not Superman, Walter! You can't do everything, and you sure as hell can't fix everything either. And you are right about one thing; what happened to Paige is not something that can be fixed with intellect. It may never be fixed, and you have to accept the possibility that the woman you love might not ever be the same woman again. As much as you torment yourself over something you had no control over, you also need to come to terms with the reality that it _did _happen, and Paige is going to need all of the support that she can get. There is always room for more love, and you should give Paige more credit! She _knows _you aren't like normal people. She _knows _you struggle with emotion.

"If you pull away or keep yourself distant, the self-hatred she feels right now will only get worse." Megan circled around Walter; everything his sister was saying felt like a slap to his face. "You know, when I first contracted MS, I hated myself for a long time. I was mad and angry because I felt like I let you, Mom and Dad down. I often wondered why I was being punished. I hated the way people stared at me like something found in a petri dish, and the scrutiny – for a very long time – made me believe in dark things about myself. I can't even imagine what sorts of lies Paige currently believes about herself, and I swear that if you pull away from her or continue to keep yourself at arms' length, those lies she created about herself will shape her reality in ways you don't ever want to see happen. Do you want that?"

Walter swallowed the lump in his throat. He slowly shook his head.

"Then pull that large stick out of your ass, Walter. You love her, so tell her. Don't hold back simply due to the fact that you think you know what she needs because let me tell you something," Megan leaned on her left support and jabbed her finger into his chest, "you don't know what she needs. The only one who knows what Paige needs is Paige, and if she needs your shoulder to cry on, then that's what she needs. No questions asked. Not everything people do has to be analyzed, Walter. Sometimes, people just need proximity… or a person's presence… to feel safe and comforted. Don't let your fears pull you away from her. If you do," Megan's expression softened, "you'll only regret it."

Walter raked his hand through his hair and inhaled a deep breath. He released it slowly. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. "H-h-how, um, h-how d-do I te—"

"Tell her?" Megan's eyebrows lifted. He nodded slowly as he pursed his lips. Megan smiled. "You'll figure it out. Just…be yourself and don't try too hard."

Walter gulped. "Okay."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter slowly returned to Paige's hospital room and found her fast asleep with a sleeping Ralph in her arms. It was the most peaceful he's seen Paige in a long few days; there were dried tears on her cheeks, but she was calm; that was all Walter could ask for at this moment. He slowly circled around her bed and quietly reached over to stroke the boy's head. He retracted his hand when he saw Paige's eyes flutter open and sat down in the seat next to her bed.

"You were gone a while," Paige muttered and turned to meet his gaze.

"Long line," Walter shrugged with a small smile.

"But you didn't get anything…," Paige glanced at his empty hands and then returned her focus on him.

"Took too long so I came back," Walter quickly stated with a forced smile. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at her hand resting by her side. He caught her gaze again as he slowly reached for her palm and interlinked his fingers with hers.

"Oh. Okay." Paige mumbled as she turned to stare at the ceiling. Minutes of unspoken words passed between them. Then, suddenly, "Walter?"

"Yeah?" Walter leaned forward slightly as Paige turned towards him again.

She was silent for several seconds.

Her eyes drooped as she looked at him.

"Th-thank you…."

She didn't elaborate.

But he didn't expect her to, either.

He didn't _need_ her to explain, and she didn't have to explain.

He wasn't going to force her.

He wouldn't want to.

He would _never_ want to.

He slowly brought his free hand to the top of her head and gently stroked her hair as he gave her a small, genuine smile. "You're welcome."

As she drifted off to sleep, she curled her fingers around his and tightly held his hand.

He had no intention of letting go.

…

_Someday, he'll tell her how much he loves her. _

_Just not today._

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

This chapter, maaaannnn…. I had feels when writing Walter's feels. Feels to the bone! I'm glad Megan gave Walter a reality check! Someone had to! Next chapter will focus on Paige's anagnorisis before she says thank you to Walter. Aaaaand there might be a focus on Toby's feels through this ordeal. Maybe Happy's too. Can't promise on Sylvester or Cabe just yet. (They're get their moment…eventually).

Anyway, let me know what you think?

Too soon for Paige to start healing?


	8. Unspoken

**WriterFreak001: **

Dudes, I am incredibly sorry for the delay; aside from fan-girling after the most BEAUTIFUL episode of Scorpion history, I was busy with filling out stupid job applications as well as brainstorming.

Anyway, I cannot begin to describe my feels from 1x19. So, to spare you a spiel, I'm just gonna shut up and let my fingers type this puppy out. (siiiigh, if only FanFiction was a paid profession).

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 7: **

**Unspoken**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Living a charade…  
Always on parade…  
What a mess I've made of my existence?  
But you love me even now and still I see somehow…_

…

_She clung to her son as he slept in her arms and wondered if Ralph would see her differently if he actually knew what had really happened to her. Surely, he would be disgusted with her as much as she was disgusted with herself. And yet, despite her doubts about her son, she couldn't help but hold him tightly in her arms. She wanted to keep him safe from everything, but if she couldn't protect herself, how could she protect him? _

_She stared at the ceiling for minutes as she lazily combed her fingers through Ralph's dark locks of hair. As she listened to the slow, quiet breaths brushing against her neck, an image of Walter flashed into her mind. She didn't understand how he could still stand to be in the same room with her. He knew – to an extent – of what happened to her, and yet he still stayed by her side. Even after she had done so many things to him, he never left her alone. She had told him to leave, but he still stayed nearby. He was always nearby, and she didn't understand why he would want to stay. _

_And yet… _

_In spite of her confusion, she felt safe with him. He had done so much to help her through her living nightmares. He would hold her hand. Let her hug him and cry on his shoulder. He would kiss her forehead and somehow find a way to bring her out of her fears and memories. _

_She didn't deserve his kindness, but he still gave it to her. _

_He still gave it. _

_If it wasn't for Walter, she didn't know where she would be. For hours before he found her, dark thoughts had crossed her mind. She could have very well been in the hospital for other reasons. She was tempted; several times that morning she was tempted. She had been tempted to go into the bathroom and pick up a glass shard. The thought did cross her mind, and for many minutes, she had wondered what would happen if she had gone through with it. _

_She didn't think anybody would care, but as tempted as she was to end her misery and pain, she couldn't bring herself to end her life. In some moments, she wanted to, but then she would think about the boy currently sleeping in her arms. Even if she felt disgusting and hated herself, she loved her son. She would always love her son, and nothing could destroy her love for Ralph. _

_As much as she had wanted her pain and agony to end, she loved her son more. _

_Ralph was the reason her heart was still beating. He was the reason she destroyed all thoughts of suicide, and in her darkest moment, Ralph had been her saving grace. _

_For years, Ralph would shy away from her touch, but… to have him willingly hold her in his arms meant so much to her, but would he still hold her if he knew the truth? He was her world, and it would destroy her if he ever refused to look at her again. _

_But maybe she deserved to be shunned by her son. _

_She sure felt like she did. _

_She felt like a lot of things – a lot of god-awful things, and yet, the two most important people in her life weren't running away. _

_They weren't running away. _

_Paige's lips trembled as she pressed a soft kiss against the top of her son's head. She held him tighter as she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. _

…

_Her eyes fluttered open to the sound of creaking and found Walter slightly hovering over her with his palm stroking Ralph's hair. He caught her staring at him and quickly retracted his hand before taking a seat next to her. _

"_You were gone a while," the words were out before she even knew she had spoken. She turned and found his gaze. His expression was different; something was different about him. He seemed…more at ease. She wasn't blind these last few days. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the constant pained expression he wore every time he was with her, but his eyes showed no sign of pain anymore. _

_At least…, he wasn't showing it. _

"_Long line," Walter gave her a small smile. He hadn't smiled in days; why was he smiling? _

_Paige noted his empty hands. "But you didn't get anything…." _

"_Took too long so I came back." He forced a smile. She watched his eyes move from hers to her hand. She slowly blinked as he met her gaze again and gently locked his fingers with hers. A feeling she still wasn't used to yet. _

"_Oh. Okay." she knew he was lying. He always spoke quickly when he lied. She didn't question him, though. She turned to look towards the ceiling and kept quiet for several long minutes. Here he was, again, holding her hand. He had held her hand before, but for some reason, the way he wrapped his fingers around hers felt different. It didn't feel forced; it felt…natural. In the past, each time he held her hand, his fingers were barely touching her skin. But… now…, the rough pads of his fingers were gently pressing the flesh between her knuckles. Something about it felt…intimate. Special. Different. She didn't want him to stop holding her hand. _

_He was here for her. _

_His fingers told her he would always be there for her. _

_They told her he wasn't letting go. _

_The way his course fingertips melted against the back of her hand told her everything. _

_They told her why he had stayed…_

…_why he had let her cry on his shoulder…_

…_why he held her hair as she wretched into the toilet…_

…_why he kissed her forehead…_

…_and struggled to calm her down when she was acting delirious…_

…_and knocked the flashlight out of her hand…_

…_and the nailbrush…. _

_His fingers spoke truths Walter would never openly admit. _

_They spoke a language Walter did not understand – a language she knew all too well. _

_The way his thumb caressed her skin spoke volumes while Walter was silent. She knew he couldn't hear his fingers, but she could. She closed her eyes and felt more tears forming under her eyelids. He was in love with her. Walter… a man who claimed love did not exist – was in love with her. He loved her. The unspoken words were loud and clear. In spite of everything, Walter still loved her. _

_That was why he had stayed…. _

_He stayed because he loved her. _

"_Walter…?" Her voice was hoarse; she was trying so hard not to break apart again. _

"_Yeah?" Walter leaned closer to her as she met his eyes. _

_She blinked back her tears and inhaled a slow breath. She felt very tired and could feel her eyelids starting to droop. She was silent for several minutes. And then…, "Th-thank you." _

_She didn't elaborate. _

_She was afraid to. _

_She was afraid to unravel her feelings. _

_She knew that if she started, she wouldn't be able to stop. _

_So she didn't elaborate, and he didn't force her to explain either. _

_She tried to keep her eyes open when he brought his palm to the top of her head and gently stroked her hair. He smiled and muttered, "You're welcome." _

_And as she started to drift off to sleep, something compelled her to respond to his touch. Slowly, she curled her fingers around his and squeezed his hand as tightly as she could, never wanting him to let go. _

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I know I promised some stuff on the other members of the team, but I felt like I should end the chapter here.

More soon! Please let me know what you think!


	9. Hollow

**WriterFreak001: **

Sorry for the delay, and sorry for the short chapter last time! I promise this one will be longer. Updates will be a little bit slower because my wireless keyboard transceiver stopped working – meaning, my keyboard won't work. The keyboard on my laptop works, but it puts more strain on my wrists sooooo I have to type slower than usual and take breaks until I can find some way to get me a new wireless keyboard (this is the replacement of one that went on the fritz a year ago – so my parents won't replace the replacement).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next installment.

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 8: **

**Hollow**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_But you see the real me…  
Hiding in my skin…  
Broken from within__…_

…

"How is she?" Toby asked Walter as Mr. 197 slowly descended from the loft towards the lower level of the garage. The shrink knew it would take some time for Paige to be in high spirits again, but a daily progress of her emotional state from Walter never hurt either. It had been three days since Paige was released from the hospital and an entire week since the attack. When she was released, Walter brought her to the garage and insisted she and Ralph stay with him until things were better. Toby thought Walter was doing the smart thing by having her stay in a safe place, but he knew Miss Dineen would have to return home eventually – the sooner, the better. Otherwise, she might never feel safe in her home again – especially when she was alone.

While Walter had been taking care of Paige, Cabe made sure Ralph made it to school every morning. Toby and Happy, under Cabe's orders, were discretely gathering as much evidence as they could for Paige if and when she decided to come forward to the police, and Sylvester helped keep Ralph busy when he was back from school. It had been a very long week for the team, and everyone except Walter worked various cases when it was needed. If and only if Walter was needed on a special case – one in which none of the other members could solve on their own – the team members would take shifts staying at the garage and checking in on Paige.

Not once since she arrived had she left Walter's bedroom.

No one could blame her though.

What she went through was a huge ordeal, and it wasn't something that could be fixed by the snap of the fingers. It was going to take a lot of time and support; one day, the team will see her smile again. Hopefully someday soon, but Toby was smart enough not to keep his hopes up. It could take months before Paige returns to a version of herself, and it was important for everyone to be aware of the fact that Paige might not be the same Paige she once was once she heals – emotionally, mentally _and _physically.

"The same," Walter shrugged as he made his way to the kitchen to pour himself some coffee.

"Has she talked about _it _at all?" Toby crossed his arms as he followed Mr. 197.

"No."

"What _does _she talk about then?"

"She doesn't talk much," Walter muttered as he took a sip of his coffee. "She only talks if it's out of necessity."

"Well," Toby took off his hat and placed it on the counter, "at least she's talking."

"I guess." Walter shrugged.

"Walt," Toby shoved his hands into his pockets and shuffled his feet, "I've been thinking. Perhaps, in a few days or so, you should take her back to her apartment for a while. Maybe to stay the night."

Walter frowned. "No. I don't think that's a good idea."

"I'm not suggesting you leave her alone, Mr. 197," Toby lowered his voice to prevent the team's liaison from hearing him speak to Walter about her wellbeing. "While it's admirable you want her to stay here until things are better, she needs to go home sometime. Forgive me for being frank, but if she doesn't go home soon, she might not develop the independence she needs to move forward; she needs to find her way back to having control over her life again. If she depends _too _much on you, she could develop an unhealthy reliance; while it's noble that you want to help her – and I agree she needs a lot of support right now – she still needs to ease herself back onto her own feet. Maybe… maybe wait until she's talking more…. Maybe wait until she's ready to discuss what happened to her…. All I'm saying is that she needs to go back home within the next few weeks and find a way to feel safe within her own apartment again. If you keep her here for too long, it'll be hard for her to adjust back into her old habits."

Walter placed his coffee mug on the counter and then ran his hand through his hair. "Fine. I'll think about it."

"Good enough for me," Toby smirked and picked up his hat. After he dropped it onto his head, he turned to head back to his desk when Walter called his name. He spun around on his heels and blinked, wondering what Mr. 197 wanted. "Yes?"

"Cabe told me you and Happy are obtaining evidence. Have you found anything definitive?"

"I think you have enough on your plate to worry about, Walt. Leave the investigation stuff to me and Happy; if we find something we think you need to know, we'll tell you. For now, just focus on helping Paige. The fewer members of the team who work on this sensitive case, the better. It's already hell trying to be discreet around Paige and Ralph with just me and Happy. We can't involve Sly into the investigation because he hates lying; he'd fold faster than a poker player. That being said, don't worry about the investigation front of the matter; just worry about Paige." Toby reached out and patted Walter's shoulder before turning around and heading for his desk.

To be honest, the investigation process wasn't going as well as they would have hoped; Cabe had discreetly interviewed the cashier on staff that night, and she claimed she didn't know anything about the man in the hood. Toby watched her facial expression during the OTR interview, and he didn't sense any deceit. Due to the heavy downpour that night, it wouldn't be surprising that she didn't hear anything.

Toby did not have a good feeling about the hooded man, and he decided, for the meantime, to keep his thoughts about the man in the hood from Walter. Mr. 197 had enough to worry about; he didn't need extra baggage. After Toby and Happy found the footage from across the street of the Shell station and showed it to Cabe, the Homeland Security agent ordered them not to show it to Walter. If Walter had seen the video footage, it would have taken his focus away from Paige and have shifted it onto her attacker – that was not something Paige needed right now. If and when Paige decided to come forward, he'll have Happy show Walter the footage, but for now…, it was just going to remain between Cabe, Happy and himself.

Toby constantly rewatched the video feed, looking for anything that might give clues as to who this bastard was, but he knew enough to stay away from all camera angles – including ones from the buildings around the station. Based on all of the known clues, Toby believed wholeheartedly that Paige's attack was premeditated. Her attacker might not have pegged Paige as his target until his plan was executed, but his actions were certainly premeditated.

And based on the fact that he purposely hid his face from all camera angles, Toby assumed the attack wasn't his first offense. He could be a serial rapist; it would explain premeditation. Or, he could be a first-time sex offender with a record from other demeanors, but the premeditation convinced Toby otherwise. The attacker didn't have a weapon; if he did, he wouldn't have grabbed Paige. He would have forced her to follow him with a gun or a knife, but he didn't; he grabbed her instead.

Toby tried using various Photoshop techniques to either enhance the footage or give it a certain effect, but none were helpful in identifying the culprit. He tried inverting the image, applying an X-Ray effect, changing the brightness and the contrast of the image, but nothing was working. He was beginning to think it was going to be next to impossible to ID the perpetrator without Paige's help – she _might _be the only one who'd be able to ID her assailant.

Based on some numbers Toby had researched, 73% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger, and 38% of rapists are friends or acquaintances of the victim. Twenty-eight percent are spouses or significant others, and 7% are relatives. The rest are committed by complete douchebag strangers. However, aside from Walter, Cabe, Sly and himself, Paige really wasn't around any other males around 31 years old. Toby could rule out everyone in the Cyclone because no one would ever hurt Paige; she was quite the gem and a very good friend.

He doubted Drew would ever hurt Paige; he might be a pain in the ass, but he's no psycho criminal. Manipulative, maybe, but he wouldn't risk hurting Paige – especially since he had recently found his A-game again. He wouldn't risk his baseball career for a criminal act. Then again, he _did _have a battery charge so Toby couldn't rule him out altogether. Drew just didn't seem like the serial rapist type. Plus, he's in Portland, Maine; his last credit payment – yesterday – was taken at a pub in Portland. If Drew couldn't figure out a Rubik's Cube, Toby doubted the jock would be able to figure out how to hack into his credit card database and insert a fake payment to serve as an alibi.

"Any luck?" Happy brought Toby back to reality as she walked up to his desk with her arms crossed in front of her.

"Nope." Toby frowned and glanced at Happy. "You?"

"I've got zip." Happy sighed as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail. "Even with a partial facial image – lips and chin – it's impossible to ID him. I tried pulling various reflections from the water particles surrounding him and compiled them together, but there wasn't enough light for the scattered reflections to be clear enough."

"I know what you mean," Toby took off his hat and placed it on his blue mannequin. "I've done Photoshop effect after Photoshop effect and still got nothin'. Unfortunately, we may just have to wait until Paige is ready. While the hospital might have collected as much DNA evidence as they could, they're not authorized to run the DNA analysis without LAPD approval. They would need to run the DNA against known offenders in the database so unless Paige wants to come forward, that theory's a bust too."

Happy leaned against Toby's desk. "I know you said you want to go by the book on this one, Doc, but you and I are both decent hackers; we don't need authorization for anything because Cabe will cover for us if we get caught. Most hospitals these days keep their records on virtual files. We hack into the hospital records, pull the information we need and then run it through ourselves."

"Yes, we could," Toby ran his hand through his hair, "but anything we find illegally could be inadmissible in court." He leaned forward and clasped his fingers together. "Do you really want to take that chance?"

"Okay…," Happy sighed, "I see your point…, but a registry of sex offenders is public record; we don't need to hack into the LAPD database in order to find a match."

"The registry doesn't list the offender's DNA results; we would have to go through LAPD or FBI in order to obtain a DNA match." Toby inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Either way, we'd have to do some serious hacking; we can't afford to make mistakes like getting caught. Even Cabe can only get us so far without penalizing his job."

"Might I offer a suggestion?" Sylvester butted in on Toby and Happy's conversation, causing the shrink and the mechanic to look at him. "I know Cabe ordered me to stay out of the investigation for the time being, but I couldn't help but overhear your dilemma."

"If you've got any ideas, I'm all earsed." Toby crossed his arms and leaned in his chair as Happy sat down at the corner of his desk.

"Okay, well, like Happy said – the registry for the sex offenders is public record. The registry will provide you with the offenders' last known addresses. I heard you guys babbling the other day, and you, Toby," Sly caught Toby's undivided attention, "said Paige's attacker seemed very familiar with that gas station – he knew where all the camera angles were. He had to have been a frequent visitor to map out all of the surveillance system. There's an 89 percent chance that he lives near the station; he'd need a quick getaway so he was familiar with the area. So… gather Intel on all of the known offenders who live within a mile radius of the Shell station to narrow down your search. Then eliminate the ones who don't match the hooded man's profile."

Toby's eyes popped open. "Sly, you might be on to something!"

"Even if we narrow down the suspect list, there's a good chance we'd have more than one person matching the hood's profile. We find the wrong guy or assume the right one is innocent, he'd be tipped off." Happy pushed herself off of Toby's desk and tapped her foot against the floor. "I know I said I wanted to find this bastard and cut his balls off, but the last thing I want is to send the douchebag running."

"I find it funny how you were willing to risk that concept the other day…." Toby chuckled as he started typing on his computer.

"Shut it, Doc." Happy frowned, "or I'll castrate you next."

"Not if you wanna continue what we do behind closed doors." Toby smirked, receiving rolled eyes from Happy and a grimace from Sylvester. "Now…," Toby pulled up the registry, "there are ten known sex offenders who live within a mile of the station." He pulled up a new browser. "Now. Let's see what these losers look like."

"I thought you said you weren't going to hack into the LAPD." Happy raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not," Toby chuckled as he compiled all of the profiles, "I'm hitting up their Facebooks."

Sylvester gulped. "Sex offenders have Facebook profiles?"

"It's not illegal for them to own Facebook accounts," Toby muttered as he glanced at the profiles. "Only illegal for them to interact with anybody under the age of 18. Everything else is free reign."

"How would looking up their profiles proof anything useful?" Sylvester raised an eyebrow. "It's not like they're going to post their track records as their statuses."

"What are you, new?" Toby glanced at Sylvester and then checked the screen again. "Based on their photo profiles, two of them are way too damn fat to fit the football-shaped body of the attacker so they're out. Three are too lanky. And…according to this dude's account information, he doesn't swing towards women, if you catch my drift. So… leaves four potential douchebags; all of them fit the stereotype too."

Happy leaned over Toby's shoulder and examined the Facebook profiles. "Do any of them have any pictures of themselves wearing a dark-colored hoodie?"

Toby clicked on each of the four candidates' pictures but couldn't find anything. "That would be a no, but I've got an idea." He pulled up the feed of the offender grabbing Paige again and removed the rain. "His face might be covered, but his sleeves are rolled up past his elbows. He may try to hide his face, but he can't hide the length of his forearm. We measure his forearm, we can compare it to the length of the forearms founded on their account pictures. Only one should match perfectly if one of these four men is our guy."

"Using his own anatomy against him…. I like it." Happy smirked.

"Now…," Toby started running his analysis, "whose ass will we be crammin' their forearm into?"

**~ SCORPION ~**

After Walter's brief conversation with Toby, he went back up to the loft to check on Paige. He had only left to grab some coffee and bring Paige some food to eat. She didn't have much of an appetite these days, but she did eat. She only ate because she didn't want to go back to the hospital. While she _could _and _should _be eating larger portions, Walter didn't force her to eat if she wasn't feeling up to it. She ate when she wanted to, and for now, Walter was satisfied.

It wasn't much, but at least she was eating.

He made his way to his makeshift bedroom and found Paige resting in his bed. He placed the plate of food on the table and climbed onto the unused side of the bed. He hesitated to reach for her hand but took it anyway as she stared at the ceiling with an empty expression.

Despite the gratification he received from her a few days ago, she was still broken. She hardly slept without some sort of sleeping agent, she had anxiety attacks left and right and refused to leave the loft. Walter was beginning to wonder if Toby was right; perhaps he needed to figure out a way to wean her away from shutting out the world and help her adjust without securing her inside the garage. He might not take her back to her apartment as a first attempt to help her return to her daily routine; he might take smaller steps, first. Perhaps he'll take her to the beach sometime – somewhere peaceful where she could be outdoors but not feel afraid of being outside.

But right now?

He thought it was best if she stayed where she felt most comfortable for the time being.

Walter remembered the sandwich he had made for Paige and said, "If you're hungry, I made you a sandwich. PB&amp;J… it was all I had downstairs."

"Okay." She muttered but didn't move.

At least she was receptive.

"Did you, uh, are you thirsty?" Walter glanced towards her, and she blinked.

"No."

Walter tried one more time. "Do you need anything at all?"

"No."

"Okay." Walter pressed his lips together and sighed. He started staring at the ceiling too.

And as the minutes passed, he let himself fall asleep, not really knowing what else to do other than be there for her if and when she needed him.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige continued to stare at the ceiling long after Walter fell asleep. She didn't really know what else to do. She could act like everything was fine, but it wasn't. She couldn't even bring herself to smile. All she could do was stare at an empty space; she didn't feel like doing anything else. Sometimes she felt the need to hold Walter; other times, she didn't. She didn't really know what she wanted from him; he was always with her, but she couldn't bring herself to rely on him. Not entirely. She agreed to do certain things only because she didn't want to go back to the hospital. She agreed to eat when she was hungry (or when she felt like it), maintain her hygiene and stay at the garage.

But it didn't matter how many times she changed her clothes, took a shower or brushed her teeth; she still felt disgusting. She still blamed herself. She still hated herself.

The things she felt were things Walter wouldn't be able to understand.

She barely understood anything, herself.

She could ask a thousand questions as to why someone would want to hurt her. Why _she _was the one who her attacker chose to attack. Why she didn't do this or that to prevent the attack. Even though she didn't understand half of the things that circulated through her mind, she still felt like she had been infected with a disease only _she _could see. She saw ugliness. Emptiness. Brokenness. Pain. Anger. Guilt. Shame. Fear. Hatred. Darkness. She felt all of those things, but she also felt numb. Devoid of everything.

No matter what Walter or Ralph or anybody else did to try to make her feel better, she didn't. Nothing could change the way she felt about herself. She saw what they refused to see; she saw the truth. They bought into the lies. Time and time again, she was told by Walter that _it _wasn't her fault. That was what _he _had decided to believe, but he was wrong. They were all wrong.

They weren't there.

They weren't splintered into a thousand pieces.

They weren't being stupid.

Nor did they _feel_ stupid.

Or sick. Or disgusting. Or hideous.

They didn't understand.

No one did.

No one ever would.

Even though they know… what happened, she was alone. They could try to understand what she was going through, but they couldn't even begin to fathom how empty and worthless she felt.

She didn't really remember how she moved from Walter's bed to his bathroom, but she did. She didn't remember removing her clothes or turning on the shower water and stepping inside, but she did. The water was burning against her flesh. She wanted her body to forget how to feel…. If she could burn her flesh off, she would. The steaming, hot water would have to suffice.

When she couldn't feel the heat anymore, she'd make the water hotter. And hotter. And hotter until she felt numb against the hottest temperature. She placed her back against the showering water and fell to her knees, feeling like nothing more than an empty, shattered shell surrounded by a sea of desolation.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Sorry for the delay, again. I'm not too sure on this chapter. I liked the Toby section, but…. The stuff that followed…. A little unsure about it. Mind you, I have never been in Paige's situation; I am basing my ideas on books I've read or things I've researched. I know some of you probably think Paige took a step backwards in her road to recovery, but I feel like it wouldn't uncommon for her to fall back a few steps. While she realized in the previous chapter that Walter was in love with her (even though he hasn't confessed his feelings in a verbal fashion), I don't think she'd be all sunshine and daisies yet. She may recognize that he loves her, but may still feel unworthy of it. That's why I made her a little more distant (perhaps she doesn't think she's worthy enough to have him know she reciprocates his feelings – I haven't decided, LOL)

Anyway, episode 1x19 was beautiful! SO BEAUTIFUL!

Just ordered a new wireless keyboard today (thank God for federal refunds!) soooo, there's that.

A few things:

Some people have asked me to have WAIGE kiss soon. I still think it is too soon for that…. Much too soon.

Those of you who have read my newest one-shot _There are Thoughts, and then There are Actions_…. SEVERAL people have asked me to continue with a follow-up. I do plan on doing so, but not right now…. Maybe when I get my wireless keyboard. Heh… X)

Anyway, thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


	10. Confession

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new.

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 9: **

**Confession**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Unveil me completely…_  
_I am loosening my grasp…_  
_There's no need to mask my frailty…_  
'_Cause you see the real me._

…

As Walter eyes slowly flickered open, he pushed himself forward and then raked his hair when he noticed Paige wasn't next to him. He scanned the room and noted how the bathroom door was slightly cracked open; steam was floating into his bedroom from the cracks. Concerned, he slid off of his bed and scrambled to the bathroom door; he knocked but heard no sound. He called out her name, but nothing. He counted to thirty and then called out her name again; still, nothing.

Walter pushed the door open and found Paige's clothes scattered about the bathroom floor as he walked through plumes of steam towards the shower where he found Paige lying on her side in a fetal position with searing, hot water pouring down on her. Her skin was red, and her eyes were swollen.

Walter kicked off his shoes and stepped inside the walk-in shower before turning the heat of the water down to a lukewarm temperature, hoping it would soothe Paige's burned skin. Not knowing what to do, he took off his jacket and draped it over her nakedness as he continued to let the water fall on both of them. He dropped to his knees, scooped her into his arms and leaned against the shower wall, pulling her close to him.

And she fell apart.

He didn't know what to say; he thought she was slowly getting better, but she clearly wasn't. She was still broken, and his attempts to help her were useless. No matter what he did, he still couldn't stop her from crying. She cried against him for an eternity, and he simply held her. He didn't know what else to do. Her fingers were clutching his shirt, and she was trembling in his arms. Something told him to hold her tighter so he did.

For minutes, he didn't do anything other than hold her. When the water started to lose its warmth, he pushed himself to his feet with Paige still wrapped within his arms and walked out of the bathroom towards his bed. Carefully, he placed her down on the mattress and pulled the covers over her wet body. As he left to return to the bathroom and turn off the water as well as grab a few towels, long, slender fingers wrapped around his hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't leave…," she pleaded softly as she tightened her grip around his fingers.

"I'm not," Walter turned to meet her frantic gaze. "I'm just going to turn off the water and get some towels. Okay?"

"Okay." Her hand fell to her side, and she averted her eyes towards the ceiling. Walter stood still for a few seconds, debating whether or not he should stay. If he didn't turn the water off soon, it might arise suspicion downstairs. Both he and Paige are soaking wet; while he could care less about himself, he didn't want Paige to catch pneumonia. With nothing to say, Walter left her side and made his way back to the bathroom. He turned off the shower water and grabbed some towels out of the closet before returning to Paige. He placed two of the three towels down at the foot of the bed and brought the third one to Paige.

"I'll just… be out there while you dry yourself off." Walter scratched the side of his face after setting down the towel on top of her. He started to leave for the entertainment area of the loft when he realized the only pair of clothes she had with her were dirty. He made a mental note to go by her apartment later and pick up some clean attire. Before leaving her alone in his bedroom, he walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out a pair of sweats. "They're probably a little too big, but it's better than nothing." He set them down next to her and reassured her that he would be close by if she needed anything.

And he was.

He never left the loft.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter gave her fifteen minutes before deciding to check in on her. When he turned the corner and walked into his makeshift bedroom, she was dressed in his sweats and was curled into a ball on top of his bed. He climbed onto the bed, and in seconds, she crawled to him and rested her cheek against his wet shirt. She clung to him tightly and laced her fingers with his. They were quiet for several long minutes, and then – "Walter?"

"Hm?" He caught her looking at him.

She was silent for seconds. "…D-Do you love me?" Walter froze; of all of the things she could have asked, he was not expecting her to ask him such a direct inquiry. When he didn't answer, she clammed up and pulled away from him. "Never mind. F-Forget I even as—"

"—Yes." The answer was out before he knew he had spoken it.

She found his eyes again. "Why?"

"It's hard to explain." Walter pressed his lips together and swallowed the lump in his throat. "But… I'll try anyway." He pushed himself upward and leaned against the headboard, never breaking eye contact with Paige. "I…, um, I already told you," he began to stammer, "that I want to..., um…, to protect you and take care of you, but it's more than that. N-Not only do I want to have a strong, um, a strong presence in your personal life, b-but you have a significant one in mine." He reached over to his bedside table, opened a drawer and pulled out a leather book.

"Before I met you, I, um, I couldn't imagine living a life outside the realm of science and mathematics; they were constants in my life – facts upon which I could always rely. However," he thumbed through his journal and opened to a marked page, "the m-more I spent time with you – and Ralph, the more I realized that a life with _just _science and math was often lonely; you helped me see a world beyond facts, Paige. There are things I want… with you that I've never wanted with anyone before." He impulsively reached for her hand. "I could ramble all day in trying to tell you the emotional things I feel whenever I'm around you, but here are the facts: having met you, I think I could possibly survive in a world without math and science; ignorant and uneducated Normals do it all of the time," he forced a laugh, but it died quickly when she didn't laugh with him. "Anyway," he quickly shook his head, "the former would be a bearable premise; however," he scratched the side of his head and inhaled a deep breath, "I cannot fathom any reality… where you're not in it." He pressed his lips together before quickly adding, "Now if what I said isn't what Normals call 'love,' then I don't know _what _it is." He forced another chuckle. "But seriously, if that was the case, then I really wouldn't know."

For the first time in days, Paige gave Walter a small smile; he could have sworn he heard a light laugh too, but he dismissed it. She inched closer to him. "Do you really think all of that?"

Walter nodded. "I only state facts, remember?"

Tears started falling down her cheeks. "After what happened, you still think like that?"

Walter didn't understand from where this particular question stemmed, and it concerned him. Why would she think differently? "Why wouldn't I?" She didn't answer. "Paige…?"

She opened her mouth but immediately clammed up. "I-it's nothing. Forget it."

Clearly, it wasn't nothing. "Paige," he pressed as he squeezed her hand, "Why would what I feel for you change just b—"

"I said forget it!" Paige snapped and pulled away from him again. She turned to her side and faced the wall.

Walter closed his eyes and clamped his mouth shut before he said something he would regret. He slid off of the bed and groaned. "I'll… go downstairs and give you some space."

"Fine," her tone was icy and withdrawn.

He sighed. "Fine."

He started to make his way out of his bedroom when he remembered the journal. He ran his hand through his curls and walked back to her. "I'm sorry." She didn't say anything; she was clearly upset at him for crossing the line. He couldn't blame her; he tried to pressure her into talking about things she obviously wasn't ready to disclose. He felt like an idiot, and she probably thought he was one too. "I left my journal open to a page next to you – if you want to read it, that is. It's an analysis of my feelings for you; perhaps my scribblings can better explain my feelings to you."

Without another word, he inhaled a deep breath, released it and left the loft. He felt like he was finally making some progress with her, but then she pulled away again. She was like a wave in the ocean; once she was too close, she receded. He was starting to get very, _very _frustrated.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter slowly descended the stairs and went straight to Toby's desk. He hardly ever asked for Toby's psychobabble when it came to his personal life, but Walter was grasping at straws. If anybody could help him understand Paige a little bit more, it was Toby. He had a big feeling he was going to regret this conversation.

"We've got a lead on the investigation." Toby smiled as he cracked his fingers and stretched his arms behind his head. "As much as I would _love _to tell you what we've found, Cabe has threatened to kill my paycheck if I utter a single word to you about what we've found – and I think I've already said too much."

At this point, Walter really didn't care to learn of the investigation's progress. It was useless information, anyway; there wasn't anything they could do unless Paige decided to come forward. "Interrogation room. Now." Walter spun around and walked quickly to the interrogation room, not wanting to be stopped by anybody for any reason. He counted to twenty before Toby popped through the door with a confused expression on his face.

"What's this all about, Walter?" Toby crossed his arms and leaned against the door, closing it shut.

"Before I say anything, you must promise me we'll never speak of this conversation again." Walter folded his arms in front of him and pressed his lips together.

"Okay. I promise." Toby raised an eyebrow and gave Walter a victory sign. "Shrink's honor. What's up, Mr. 197?"

"I need you to shed some light on some things for me." Walter was _really _going to regret this.

"Fire away."

"Psychologically speaking, why would Paige blame herself for what happened to her?" This was the fourth time he had asked this question, and he still hadn't received a satisfying answer. Perhaps, if he understood what was going on in Paige's mind a little bit better, he would be able to help her get through all of this.

"Well," Toby pushed himself away from the door and took a seat at the table. "It's certainly not uncommon for a survivor of rape to blame him or herself for what happened to them. It's sometimes easier to victimize one's self in order to process the attack; Paige probably believes there was something she could have done differently to prevent the attack – having a cellphone charger on her person, paying more attention to the road, carrying pepper spray in her purse…. The list, in her mind, is endless. If she thinks it's her fault, it's most likely because she can't understand why something so horrible would happen to her as opposed to another woman. What she needs to realize – on her own terms – is that _nobody _has the right to take what was taken away from her. It will take some time, Walter, but she'll eventually come to terms with what has happened to her and will understand that none of it is her fault."

Walter slowly nodded; if Paige needed to realize that the attack wasn't her fault, Walter had to accept the fact that it wasn't his either. He pressed onto his next question. "Off and on again, she apologizes to me about what happened to her. Why?"

"Well, if I was ever good at gambling – which I am, I'd put my money on the obvious that Paige is in love with you. I know you don't believe in love, yatta, yatta, yatta, but Paige does, and based on my many observations, she definitely has the hots for you." Toby smirked but quickly continued. "Anyway, Paige isn't stupid either; she has more of an emotional radar than all of us schmucks combined. She has probably noticed a connection between the two of you and perhaps, she may have assumed you've developed feelings for her as well." Toby cracked his knuckles. "That's just a theory, by the way; she may have no clue as to how you feel about her – and you know I'm right; you know you have feelings for her so don't bother trying to deny them. Anyway, my best guess as to why she continuously apologizes to you is because she most likely feels like she's betrayed you in some way."

"What?" Walter didn't understand Toby's response to his query. "That's preposterous. Why would she think that?"

"Maybe because, in her mind, a stranger touched her in ways she only wanted to be touched by you..." Toby shrugged as he leaned into his chair.

"I would never want to hurt her like that." Walter's eyes widened.

"You're not understanding me, Walter." Toby stated quickly, keeping Walter from thinking more on the issue, "I'm not saying she had wanted you to hurt her like her attacker did. That's crazy talk. What I mean… is… if there's anybody on this planet Paige sees herself having future sexual relations with, that person is you. Like I said: she has the hots for you, and if she's ever noticed the puppy dog eyes you give her every time she walks into the garage, she knows you want one too. However, because she was forcibly _touched _by another man – especially a stranger, Paige most likely feels like she's betrayed you and thinks you would never want to have any sort of relationship with her in the present and in the future. That's why it's important for _you_, Mr. 197, to be with her as much as possible – show her you're bigger than all of that…," Toby paused and then added, "and by _bigger_, I meant better."

"What else could you have meant?" Walter raised an eyebrow, not understanding why Toby had to correct himself; his statement made sense either way.

"Never mind," Toby quickly changed the subject. "Next question?"

Walter decided not to press the issue any further and went onto his next question. "The morning after it all happened, I found Paige's bathroom mirror shattered, and later, she was smashing the other mirrors in her bedroom. Why would she do that?" Walter didn't know why he was so obsessed with wanting to know why Paige would want to destroy her mirrors, but it was something he couldn't get out of his mind. The anger and fear and desperation in Paige's eyes taunted him as he replayed the moment of her smashing in her mirrors in his mind over and over and over again. Before Paige came to the garage after her stay at the hospital, Walter covered all of the mirrors in the loft; he felt like that had been the best maneuver, and she hadn't said anything about him covering them. Nor did she do anything about it either.

Toby ran his hand through his hair and frowned. "There are a couple theories I can run with, but the strongest one – to me – is not a pleasant thought. Are you sure you want me to run them by you?"

Walter nodded. "I wouldn't be asking, otherwise."

"Okay." Toby sighed. He crossed his arms and spoke in a grave tone of voice. "Most survivors of rape and sexual assault have very low opinions of themselves after their attacks. For one, self-hatred. They often feel disgusting and defiled for being violated in the most heinous of ways. They see themselves as weak and believe in lies like the world is out to get them…, people hate them…, they were contaminated…, soiled…, et cetera. Paige is most likely disgusted with herself; tell me, besides destroying her mirrors, has she exhibited any other odd sorts of behavior?"

Walter recalled the nailbrush incident as well as the state he found her in the shower earlier today. "Yes."

"Care to divulge?"

He really shouldn't, but… he didn't see any other choice. "Before I convinced her to go to the hospital, she tried to clean her nails with a nailbrush. She was rubbing her nails raw, and her fingers were bleeding when I found her." Walter opted on not telling Toby about the shower incident, but the words were out before he could stop them. "And today…. I found her in the shower with burning water pouring over her. It was like she _wanted _to burn herself."

Toby ran his hand through his hair. "Seems to me she's developing a case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder…. It's not uncommon for survivors to develop some sort of psychological whiplash after the attack; she most likely has PTSD too – hence the nightmares and flashbacks she has had. Anyway, the mirrors. She _could _have destroyed them because she hates the way she feels and looks now. Also, it's a power play. Because she had been raped, her self-empowerment was stripped away from her in seconds. By destroying those mirrors, she was able to destroy something to reflect – no pun intended – the destruction she feels.

"The act of destruction – no matter what it is acted upon– would give Paige the self-empowerment she had lost when she was attacked. Destroying those mirrors also ties into her self-blame. Because she blamed herself for what had happened, she needed to destroy somethingelse in order to reflect – again, no pun intended – the way she had been destroyed. It's a form of Freudian displacement; since she couldn't bring herself to believe that being raped isn't her fault – that it isn't something she brought upon herself, she needed to do something with her _own_ hands to compensate for what she felt.

"As for the obsessively cleaning her fingernails – like I said: she probably feels dirty and contaminated. Scrubbing her fingers raw, to me, indicates that she wanted to get rid of the evidence; in her mind, if there wasn't any evidence, there wasn't proof that it had happened. It would have made the denial stage easier for her. She craves to feel clean again, but it's going to take more than a scrub-a-dub-dub to do the job. Now, you said you found her in the shower under boiling hot water?"

Walter nodded.

"Was she naked?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not really. I was just curious." The shrink shrugged.

"Focus, Toby."

"Right. Okay." Toby's smirk fell. "Anyway, by intentionally wanting to burn her skin, she either wanted to try to burn off the contamination she felt on her body, or she wanted to physically feel the pain she's internalizing. Walt, I could give you tons of plausible psycho-theories, but the only one who knows what's truly going on in Paige's mind is Paige. Even though she might not be in a conversing mood right now, you should be asking her these questions when she's ready to talk to you about the attack. I'm flattered you want my opinion, but why _are _you asking me in the first place?"

"I wanted some perspective as to what might be going through her mind. I thought some insight could help me figure out a way to help her." Walter shrugged.

"Something tells me there's more to your reasoning." Toby raised an eyebrow. "You seemed a little tense and frustrated when you came down the stairs earlier. Did something happen up there?"

"Nothing that's your business." Walter forced a smile as he rose to his feet and headed for the door. "Thanks for the insight." Walter pushed his way through the door as Toby followed.

"Walt, what happened up there?" Toby pressed as Walter made his way to the stairs.

"This conversation is over."

Without another word, he scrambled up the stairs to check on Paige as he heard Toby shout, "Whatever you're keeping from me, Mr. 197, I'm going to find out!"

Ha! Not on Walter's life he wasn't.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I really enjoy writing Toby psychobabble. :] It's hard for me to write things in his POV (like the last chapter), but I love writing his dialogues! XD

PS. I made a few errors in the last chapter so for those of you who caught them, they're fixed! Hopefully there are no errors in this chapter.

Let me know what you think! (Reviews are VERY appreciated and motivate me to write more!)


	11. Unworthy

**WriterFreak001: **

Wow! Over 100 reviews! I am beyond impressed! When I started writing this story, I was worried that it wouldn't be well-received due to its content matter. All of you have greatly proved me wrong, and that makes me overjoyed! :D

Sorry for the delay… I've been mourning over the most recent Scorpion episode because the ending was just too damn depressing for me to write anything. Anyway, I'm over it now and have decided to see a positive light in the whole thing by reminding myself that there are two more episodes left so ANYTHING can happen. :3 SOOOO not going to give up on my WAIGE fantasies. :D You shouldn't either.

Anyway, I'll shut up and let you do what you came here to do.

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 10: **

**Unworthy**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Wonderful…  
Beautiful is what you see…  
When you look at me__…_

…

Three weeks have passed since the attack, and while Paige was more talkative and had started coming down to the lower level of the garage for meals and spending time with her son, she was still in low spirits. If she smiled, it was forced; she hardly laughed, and she often cried at night. Sometimes she wanted Walter's company at night, other times he gave her space and slept on one of the couches in the loft – whichever one Ralph wasn't preoccupying.

In the last week, Paige had returned to her apartment twice – the first time was to collect her textbooks for her night class. She tried going back to class, thinking she could handle it, but she couldn't get herself to step outside of Walter's piece-of-shit mobile. Walter didn't force her, either. She ended up skipping class that night and made the decision to drop her courses for the remaining semester. The second time she returned to her apartment was for Ralph; he wanted some of his video games so she went with Walter to pick them up for the boy.

Walter didn't think she was ready to spend the night in her apartment yet; there were bad memories tainting her bedroom, and he wanted to wait until he was absolutely sure she was better before suggesting such a premise. The last two times they were over there, she didn't even enter her bedroom; he couldn't blame her, though. The room was still covered with broken glass – something he planned on having Toby and Happy clean up in the not-so-distant future. If there was any evidence in Paige's room, it was important for Toby and Happy to procure them for the OTR investigation.

Today, Walter had given everyone the day off; Cabe didn't have any current cases and promised to call if anything came up. Since Ralph was at school, the only ones in the garage were Walter and Paige, and even though Walter preferred peace and quiet over the loud music Toby or Happy sometimes play in the garage, he thought it was way too quiet.

While he was on his computer at his desk, Paige was pouring herself a cup of coffee. She had been a lot more functional in the past week than she had been since the attack; however, Walter could tell she was nothing more than an empty shell. All she _did _was function – there was no conviction behind her actions. It was like she existed, but, in the same respect, she didn't exist; she wasn't the Paige he was used to seeing, and while he recognized the fact that she might never return to the Paige she once was, it was still hard to see her so empty; even a semi-emotionless idiot like him could tell how devoid Paige was.

For the last five minutes, she had been at the kitchen counter, just staring at the coffee pot, and Walter had to wonder if a change of venue was in order. For the past three weeks, she had spent 95% of her time at the garage; she refused to leave on her own, and she was often hesitant to leave whenever someone – usually Cabe or Walter – invited her to go with one of them to pick up Ralph from school. Sometimes she went (usually it was with Walter), and other times, she was scared to leave. No one knew what to expect from her anymore; it was always either sometimes _this _or sometimes _that_. There was no pattern to what she did or didn't do anymore. It was more of a guessing game than anythin else, these days.

"All right, that's it." Walter muttered to himself as he closed his laptop and pushed away from his desk. He needed to get her out of the garage – he needed her to do _something_ other than sulk around and stare at odd things. He understood why she did what she did, but he also realized she needed _more _than just the security of the garage in order to move towards healing. Just simply existing wasn't something Walter could watch anymore. It was too depressing, and he needed to do something about it.

He grabbed his bag, circled around his desk and swiftly walked towards Paige. She had turned on the water and started cleaning her breakfast dishes. Without thinking, he brought his palm to the small of her back; she flinched from his touch and dropped her plate into the sink. It shattered, and Walter immediately retracted his hand. "Sorry," he muttered and closed his eyes for being such an idiot. Paige didn't say anything as she started picking up the broken pieces. "Here." Walter gently pulled her hands out of the sink, "Let me."

"Okay," she mumbled and stepped away from the sink. Walter quickly picked up the pieces of the broken crockery and placed them neatly on the counter to be glued back together later. "Why don't you just throw them away?"

Walter gave her a small smile and shrugged. "You know me. I like fixing things."

Paige turned away from him and stared at the floor as she leaned against the fridge. Her arms wrapped around herself, and she softly mumbled, "Not everything can be fixed, Walter."

Walter was getting a feeling that they weren't talking about broken crockery anymore. "Maybe not completely."

"Or at all." Paige finally found his eyes; they were as lifeless as ever.

"I refuse to believe that premise." Walter folded his arms across his chest and frowned. Even though Paige's pain and the source of her pain could not be fixed with science or technology, Walter _needed _to believe that she'll eventually heal and will find her way back to happiness. He had to believe in something; otherwise, he would go insane if he thought he would never see her smile again.

"Well, believe it." Paige snapped and pushed away from the fridge. As she made her way to the stairs, Walter called out to her. He didn't really think anything through, but he needed to keep her from wondering back into her shell; he needed to find a way to communicate with her. Quickly, he opened the cupboard and reached into the back where his favorite blue coffee mug resided. He carefully pulled it out and slipped it into his bag before scrambling out of the kitchen towards the stairs.

He bolted up the stairs towards Paige, grabbed her hand and pulled her down the steps. "Come on," he muttered as he tugged her towards the door. "We're going out for a bit."

"I want to stay here." Paige's voice cracked as she glued her feet to the floor.

Walter spun around on his heels and instinctively cupped her cheeks. He didn't really know why he did it, but he liked the feeling of her soft skin underneath his fingers. "I know you do, but you've gotta trust me, okay? Do you trust me?"

Paige bit her lip and gave him a slow nod.

"Okay." Walter's palms fell from Paige's face, and after he reached for Paige's hand again, he whirled back around towards the door and escorted Paige to his car.

**~ SCORPION ~**

After thirty minutes of silence, Walter slowed his car to a stop and shifted the gear into park as Paige gazed out the window. Seagulls flew across the blue sky as Paige wondered why Walter would take her to Zuma Beach. "Why are we here?"

"You'll see." Walter smiled as he took off his seatbelt. He pushed his car door open and climbed out of his vehicle, but she remained in the car, unsure if going out there was such a good idea. There were other people; she hadn't been around _other_ people since before _it _happened. When her car door opened, Walter knelt down beside her and squeezed her hand; he had been doing that a lot lately, and he never seemed bothered by it. Holding her hand seemed almost natural for him now, but it was still so very foreign to her. "Paige," he caught her attention as he reached over her and unbuckled her seatbelt. "Come with me."

Paige inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. She didn't trust herself to leave the car. The last time she left a car, bad things happened. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I ca—… I can't."

"Paige," Walter's thumb brushed softly against her palm, "I won't let anything happen to you; I promise."

Paige released another deep breath and could feel her legs going numb. "Please," she pleaded him to let things go and take her back to the garage, but he didn't move.

"You trust me, right?"

"Yes, but –" Paige couldn't bring herself to finish her train of thought.

"Paige," Walter caught her attention, "you'll be with me the whole time. I promise." Paige remembered the first time he promised he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her; it was the first day they met when she was worried a plan would crash on top of them along the runway. He had almost said the exact same words to her, telling her she had to trust him and promising he wouldn't let anything happen to her. She _did _trust Walter, but she didn't trust the rest of the world. "Paige, I'm not going anywhere."

She combed her fingers through her hair and sighed. "I can't feel my legs."

"Then I'll carry you. Okay?"

"Okay."

The first thing Walter did was grab a blanket and shove it into his side bag; then, he took off her shoes and socks. As Walter hooked his right arm underneath her legs and wrapped his other arm around her middle, she hesitantly latched her hands around his neck; he carefully pulled her out of the car and then kicked the door shut. He trudged through the white sand and stopped a few feet in front of the shoreline – far enough to avoid the incoming waves but close enough to be sprayed by the falling tides.

"Can you stand on your own?"

"I think."

"Okay."

After Walter gently lowered Paige's feet to the ground, he pulled out the blanket and slapped it against the sand. He sat down first, followed by Paige. She sat next to him with her knee touching his. She needed a small sensation for proof – proof that he was still with her. That he wasn't going anywhere.

"So why are we here?" Paige asked as she looked away from Walter and mindlessly played with the sand.

"My sister and I occasionally come up here to make some good memories with the time she has left…," Walter wasn't looking at her either; he was staring at the sparkling horizon. Minutes of silence passed before Walter grabbed her hand, forcing her to find his gaze. "I want you to have a place where you can make good memories too." He rested the back of her hand against his knee. "And maybe, with time, the good memories you have here will outweigh the bad ones."

Paige knew what he was trying to do; he was trying to find a way to fix her, but _nothing _could fix her. Why was he so convinced he could fix her problems? As she said earlier, some things couldn't be fixed so why was he trying? "Walter…. I told you….," she closed her eyes to hide her oncoming tears, "you can't fix everything."

Walter turned towards his bag and pulled out the pale blue coffee mug he had smashed when he thought the governor's daughter was going to die. She had found him gluing the cup back together later that evening – much like what he apparently planned to do with the plate Paige had accidentally broken earlier in the day.

"Why do you have that?"

Walter placed the splintered mug into Paige's hands and said, "You're right…. I can't fix everything. Not perfectly, at least."

"What're you talking about?" Paige asked as she stared at the mug.

"Before I smashed that mug, it was pretty much perfect. No blemishes. No fractures. No dried glue between the cracks. It served its function well. And then, after I shattered it against the table, it fragmented into several broken pieces. Like the plate in the sink. However, instead of throwing the pieces away, I glued them back together even though it took a lot of time before it was ready to be used again. While it's still the same mug, it's also different. The surface is rougher because of the glue; there are cracks everywhere, and if you drink from the wrong side of the mug, you'll have a bad aftertaste from the glue pressing against your lips. And yet, it still functions as a mug functions – just… gotta be more careful with it."

"I'm not in the mood for metaphors, Walter." Paige knew he wasn't actually talking about the mug; he was referring to the aftermath of her attack. "I am not a broken mug." No. She was a shattered soul. "Glue can't erase…it. Nothing," she blinked and felt a tear fall down her cheek, "can erase it."

"I know," Walter muttered. "I'm not saying it'll disappear; it may never go away. All I'm saying," Walter paused and looked at their conjoined hands, "is that someday… in spite of what's happened, you'll find the will to smile again… and laugh…."

"It's," Paige also glanced at their fingers, "not that simple."

"I know." Walter gulped and turned towards the sea again. "But it is possible."

"Maybe for some people," the words were out before she could stop herself.

"What do you mean?" Walter turned his attention towards her.

"N-nothing." She pulled her hand out of his and wrapped her arms around her knees. She didn't want to talk anymore.

"Dammit, Paige!" Walter's voice startled her as he threw his hands into the air. "Stop doing that!"

"Doing what?!" Paige didn't like his tone.

"Stop pushing me out like that!" he ran his hands through his unruly curls. "For weeks, I've been patient, and I've been trying my best to respect your distance, but enough's enough! You keep wanting me to help you through all of this, but how do you expect me to help if all you do is clam up every time I try to understand your position in all of this?!"

"My position?!" Paige fired back with anger and jabbed her finger into his chest. "You want to know about _my _position, Walter? Well, here's a newsflash for you, 197! I was raped. I was dragged behind a gas station, and I was raped." Her nose started to burn as tears fell. Walter's frustration fell, but she continued. "No one could hear me scream, and for the first time in my life, I was completely helpless. A stranger hurt me in ways you could never imagine, and my world feels like it's upside down. I look into a mirror, and all I see is filth and ugliness and pain and hatred. I _hate _the way I look. I _hate _the way I feel about myself, and I hate _me._" She paused and inhaled a slow deep breath as she gathered her thoughts. "So since _you're _so smart, Walter; tell me how an ugly, disgusting person like me can smile again? How can someone who feels numb all of the time ever laugh again? Or truly be happy? Because," tears dripped from her eyes and dropped onto her balled fists, "from where I stand," her lip quivered, "all I see is that night happening over and over and over again when all I want to do is forget it and act like it never happened! But I can't even do that so what's the point of being fixed – finding a solution – if I can't forget about it?" Walter was silent for several minutes, and when he didn't speak, she had to have the last comment. "I would give _anything _to have an IQ of 197 where I could have the mentality to repress everything that happened to me."

Walter finally spoke. "You think having an IQ of 197 is easy, Paige?! You think I asked to be like this!?" He ran his hand through his hair, "I have been at my wit's end for weeks, trying to communicate with you on an emotional level; you _know _emotions aren't my strong suit! And yet, despite how difficult it is for me to compute emotions, I still did my best to be there for you! I tried wearing my heart on my sleeve, giving you more tactile attention by holding your hand or kissing your forehead; I did everything I could think of to help you, but it hurt to have you push me away every single time I attempted to comprehend your emotional state. You say you want my IQ, but in the same respect, I would do just about anything to have a normal mind so I could be better equipped to help you through all of this.

"I _hate _seeing you in pain, Paige. I _hate _not being able to give you the emotional attention you need, and I especially hatethe way you see yourself in the mirror because whatever reflection you've convinced yourself to see is a far cry from the beautiful woman I am looking at right now." His statement caught her attention. He thought she was beautiful? Even after everything? He reached for both of her hands and laced his fingers with hers. "You already know how I feel…, and that has not changed." The tone in his voice softened. "I'm sorry if I'm optimistic, but the hope of one day seeing you smile is a hell of a lot better than facing a reality where you might never smile again, Paige. That is a premise I don't think I can accept."

"But what if it's the only premise the future has to offer?" Paige's voice cracked.

"The future is unpredictable; there is no sure way to know what it holds." Walter smirked, but his expression died quickly. "Do you… d-do you _want _to smile again?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"A fair one." Walter deadpanned.

Paige shrugged. "I want to…, but I don't see it happening."

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you."

"Do you trust me?" Walter bit his lip.

"We've been over this already."

"Have we?"

"Yes," Paige's voice was hoarse. She bit her lip as well.

Walter gave her a small smile. "Good. Then you also remember I only state facts."

Paige closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath; she released it slowly. An arm draped around her shoulders and pulled her closer to Walter's side. She leaned against him and muttered, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to…shut you out…. It's a… force of habit, I guess. Before Scorpion, I've always handled my own problems… so I see… _it_… as my _own _problem. I don't know how to… rely on others…. It's still very foreign to me."

"I apologize too. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up earlier; there are no words to describe what you went through, and I shouldn't have pressed for answers. I just… well, there's no excuse for it…. I was an idiot for pressing you like that." Walter pressed his cheek against Paige's head. "I was way out of line."

"I think it's safe to say we've both been way out of line at least once in these past few weeks," Paige mumbled as she closed her eyes.

"Touché."

A comforting silence surrounded them as they watched the waves wash against the shore.

"Walter?"

"Yeah?"

Paige turned towards him and found his dark brown eyes. She wanted to smile, but she was afraid to – afraid of just accepting everything will be all right again (because it won't be). She bit her lower lip and hesitated. "I love you, too…." And then the words were out before she could stop herself, "I just wish I was worthy of yours."

**~ SCORPION ~**

"_Walter?" Paige's voice cracked as she called his name. _

_He popped one eye open. "Yeah?" _

_She didn't say anything for seconds, and Walter was beginning to wonder if she had anything to say at all. And then…, "I love you too." Some part of Walter already knew how Paige had felt for him, but the confirmation made everything even better. He wanted to say something to Paige when…, "I just wish I was worthy of yours." _

Walter was floored by her ending statement. She had it all wrong; God, she had it all wrong. "I don't know what convinced you to think like that, but you are everything to me… and much more. If anything," He quickly pecked his lips against her forehead, "I am the unworthy one because a guy like me doesn't deserve a beautiful woman with an incredible charisma like you, Paige. It… It doesn't usually happen, but…," Walter found her eyes again, "I w-want it – us – to happen…someday." He paused. "What about you?"

Paige slowly nodded. "I want it too… someday."

"And what about today?" Walter inquired as he mindlessly tugged her closer to him.

She shook her head slowly. "Not today…. I don't know if I'm ready yet."

"Okay."

And as Paige leaned her head against his shoulder again, Walter planted a quick kiss on her forehead and didn't say anything more on the subject.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

A few things:

Someone asked me why I write dark stories, and I would like to clarify myself a bit. I am, in no way, a misogynist against Paige. For most of my stories, I see her as an easy target for the baddies to get to. With that aside, I write deep and dark shit because I love writing. Don't get me wrong, I do write some happy stories between Walter &amp; Paige, but I enjoy writing stories with darker propensities a lot more. It provides more angst and helps me, as a writer, explore my writing skills. I love getting into the minds of baddies so I like making my baddies psycho-like. LOL.

But in any case, I do not force you to read anything you are not comfortable in reading. If you are truly uncomfortable with the content I write, please seek other stories because the last thing I want is for my readers to squirm every time I post a chapter.

I have much more in store for this story and did plan on prolonging this chapter for a while longer, but I decided against it and chose to end the chapter here.

Anyway, let me know what you think!


	12. Doubt

**WriterFreak001: **

In case you haven't had a chance to check it out, I wrote a one-shot, portraying what I would have _liked _to have happened at the end of 1x20 so if you haven't read it, feel free to check it out. It is called: _Everything but a Dream_. It's only on right now; I haven't added it to AO3 yet. I will though. Eventually. :)

Anyway, my new keyboard came in! :)

All right, I'll shut up now! XOXOXO

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 11: **

**Doubt**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_You're turning the tattered fabric of my life…  
…into a perfect tapestry__…  
I just want to be me…_

…

It's been three months since the attack, and Paige still struggled with her self-image, but she had come to realize that _it _wasn't her fault – that there was nothing she could have done differently to prevent it. However, even though she didn't blame herself anymore, her anagnorisis didn't erase the other feelings she felt about the whole thing. Nightmares still plagued her mind, memories haunted her and she still found herself flinching from unexpected touches. Her wounds were fully healed, but her heart was a different story.

She doubted her heart would ever heal.

For the most part, she re-integrated herself back into her routine, but she still felt uncomfortable going places alone. Since… it…, she refused to go anywhere by herself. Walter usually accompanied her when she dropped off Ralph at school and picked him up. When he couldn't, Cabe went with her.

Since the day Walter took her to the beach, she did not speak of the attack to anyone else or go into any more details. There was one point – almost a month ago – when she almost told Walter everything that had happened to her, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Walter didn't force her and told her she was under no obligation to tell him; he didn't have to know if she didn't want to tell him.

But she _did _want to tell him.

She just… couldn't.

She _still _couldn't.

But she did open up more with him. When she was upset, she didn't try to hide it. When she was uncomfortable doing something, she told him. She confided in him more because she wanted him to understand her; she wanted to make things easier for him, and slowly, she realized talking helped. Talking – not about what happened – but about anything else helped her regain her sanity. She conversed more with other members of the team, but she still couldn't bring herself to smile or laugh without faking expression.

She still cried from time to time, but her tears fell less and less; as long as she kept her mind off of _it_, she believed she would be okay. Not perfect. Not happy. But okay. And she was okay with okay. She had to be. She needed to be, but she wanted more than okay – even if it was an impossibility. She wanted more.

Tonight, after whatever case Cabe will assign to Scorpion, Paige and Ralph were going to be returning home for the first time in three months. Paige convinced herself she was ready to return home; she would have Ralph with her so she wouldn't be alone. However, when she first discussed her decision with Walter a few weeks ago, he was adamant about spending the night at her apartment for her first night back, making the case that knowing she was safe would give him peace of mind. She didn't argue with him; it was pointless. His mind was already made up.

"Are you sure you want to go back tonight? You're welcome to stay here for as long as you want," Walter muttered as he walked up behind her and casually placed his hand on the small of her back; she didn't flinch – she hardly flinched from Walter's touch anymore. He seemed more comfortable touching her as well – in more romantic ways too. Even though they haven't really gone to the next step in their relationship – whatever it is – since the day on the beach, Paige didn't seem to mind the genius's subtle touches anymore; they soothed her even if she still felt as though she didn't deserve his kindness or his attention.

"I need to do this." Paige mumbled as she stared out the window to the left of Walter's bed. She watched the busy street flood with cars and listened to the angry and impatient honking as Walter handed her a mug of steamy coffee. She finally looked at him. "I have to do this."

"Okay," Walter took a step back and took a sip out of his own red, white and gold mug. "I won't stop you, then."

"Thanks." Paige forced a smile as she brought the white mug to her lips. The hot liquid felt good against her throat.

"But I'm still coming with you," Walter added as he reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"I know," Paige slowly nodded as she turned back towards the window.

"I, uh…, I only want to make sure you're safe." Walter said as he placed his mug down on the small ledge underneath the window. "You know that, right?"

She caught him staring at her, and she gave him a slight nod. "Yeah. I do." He released her palm and jammed his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the wall. Her eyes followed his, wondering about what he was thinking. "I am…grateful, Walter. I am. It's just…"

"Just what?"

She bit her lip before taking another sip of coffee. She didn't continue.

"Paige?"

She inhaled a deep breath as she placed her mug next to Walter's and wrapped her arms around herself. "…I don't want you come if you feel like you have to… or if you…," she avoided his gaze, "…expect something to happen…."

"Do you really think that?" Walter blinked as he took a step closer to her. He reached for her hand but stopped short and shoved his palm back into his pocket.

"I don't know what to think anymore," Paige ran her hand through her hair, "about anybody or anything. I just…," she finally returned his gaze, "I don't want you to get the wrong idea; just because I said you can stay the night, it doesn't mean I'm ready for anything yet."

"I wouldn't expect you to be." She could tell by his soft tone that she had hurt his feelings, and she instantly regretted distrusting him and his intentions.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she took a step towards him and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "That was unfair. I don't know what I was thinking." As his palms lightly touched her shoulders, she lifted her head and looked into his eyes. They were trying to understand her, but she could tell he was at a loss. "Hey," she slowly brought her palms up to rest against the base of his neck – it was the first time she had willingly touched Walter with her hands since the attack; her hands were slightly shaking against his skin. He covered her hands with his and brought them down in front of them; her fingers were no longer shaking. Her body had learned to trust his hands; they only brought kindness and gentleness. "I'm sorry," she apologized again. "It's not you that I don't trust…, Walter. I trust you completely." And she knew she did; she didn't know why she said what she said; she knew he didn't have expectations. He just wasn't that kind of guy.

"Then I don't understand why you would say th—"

"I don't know why I said that either," Paige said quickly and added, "Maybe my mind and heart aren't in sync. I don't know." She looked away from his eyes, ashamed. "A lot of things are still confusing, I guess."

"I'm sure they are." Walter spoke softly as his thumbs rubbed the tops of her hands.

She found his eyes again. "Do you forgive me?"

"Yeah," Walter nodded before he pressed a quick kiss against her forehead. "I forgive you."

"Thanks." Paige muttered as she placed her forehead against his chest. She closed her eyes as Walter slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. A pair of lips rested on top of her head, and they stood holding each other for several long minutes until –

"Hey, Walter, Cabe wants yo—Oh, God! I am so sorry!" Sylvester's jaw dropped at the sight of Walter and Paige. "I'll… I'll tell him you'll be down shortly." Before a single word was said, Sylvester spun around on his heels and scrambled out of the loft, leaving a frozen Walter and Paige in the bedroom.

Paige was the first to pull away, but Walter did not loosen his embrace. "You should go…."

"Don't you want to see what kind of case Cabe has?" Walter's palms traveled from her back to her shoulders.

"I've got a lot to do here… Pack and stuff." Paige shrugged; "I want to get it done before we pick up Ralph this afternoon."

"Are you sure?" Walter found her palms again and squeezed them in his hands.

"Yeah," Paige gave him a fake smile. "Go on ahead. I'll be fine."

"Okay," Walter flashed her an unconvinced smile as he released her palms and took a step away from her. "I'll have my phone on so if you need anythi—"

"If I need anything," Paige cut him off, "I'll call."

"Right. Yeah." He scratched the back of his head. "Okay." He pivoted on his heels and sauntered out of his bedroom as Paige watched him turn the corner and head his way to the stairs. Needing to pack was a partial truth; she _did _need to get it done, but it wasn't the only reason she wanted to stay at the garage while the team drove off to the location of their next assignment. She needed some time to herself; as much as she appreciated everything Walter had done for her in the past three months, he was a little too clingy. He barely left her alone when they were at the garage. While she had a hard time going other places by herself, she felt safe at the garage – it was her safe haven, a place she knew no one would hurt her.

As much as she wanted to stay at the garage, she knew she needed to go back to her apartment; she knew she needed to return and learn to feel safe again on her own. She wanted her independence back; she wanted power over her life again, but in order to achieve those things, she needed to start relying on herself again.

As she slowly circled around the bed and picked up her suitcase, her phone buzzed. She pulled the cellular device out of her pocket and unlocked the screen. The text was from Walter, telling her they had a relatively simple case and should be back before noon. She sent him a quick confirmation and then returned to packing her things, hoping it would keep her busy until the team returned.

**~ SCORPION ~**

A few hours after Paige had started packing her things, she moved to Ralph's belongings, and when she was done, she slowly descended the stairs and made her way to the kitchen to refill her coffee cup. After she poured a fresh brew of coffee into her mug, she spotted a manila envelope sitting on the kitchen table. It was labeled "OTR INVESTIGATION" in Toby's handwriting. She knew she shouldn't snoop, but curiosity bested her judgement so flipped open the flap and glanced at the material neatly stacked inside the envelope.

She froze upon the first image, and her coffee mug shattered around her.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"About earlier…," Sylvester pressed his fingers together as he raced up to his boss on the way back to the van, "…I apologize immensely for what I witnessed."

"Nothing happened," Walter's voice was above a whisper. "Apologizing for nothing is futile and a waste of time."

"Then why are we whispering?" Sylvester asked in a hushed tone.

Walter shifted his eyes left and right before answering. "A certain shrink with a hat fetish might think otherwise."

"But if nothing happened," Sylvester blinked, not understanding Walter's desire to keep quiet, "why are you worried what Toby thinks?"

"That is a very good question, Sly." Toby caught Sylvester and Walter by surprise as he popped up behind them and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. "Why _are _you worried what I think, Walt?"

"It's none of your business." Walter snapped as he opened the front passenger door of the van.

Toby frowned and then turned to Sylvester. "Comments from the Peanut Gallery?"

"I know what you're trying to do, Toby." Sylvester rose his hands in defense, "but I'm _not_ going to get in the middle of whatever squabble the two of you have going on today."

"And what squabble would that be?" Walter folded his arms in front of him and gave Sylvester a forced chuckle.

"Whichever one that's about to start." Sylvester shrugged as he pulled out his handkerchief and opened the back passenger door. "I'm staying out of this one as I try to do for most of your spats."

"Sly, considering the fact that you're the one who brought this whole thing up," Toby blinked, "I'd say you're more squeezed in the middle of our impending conversation than the crème filling of a _Chips Ahoy! _Cremewich, my friend."

"Well," Sylvester climbed into the car and pointed to himself, "this _Chips Ahoy!_ crème filling is pooping itself out of the conversation…" Sylvester paused as Walter scrunched up his face and Toby cringed, "That sounded a lot better in my head than aloud."

"Okay, then…" Toby directed his attention towards Walter as Sylvester strapped himself in. "So… what were you and Sly talking about earlier?"

"It was nothing." Walter said as he also climbed into the van and closed the door in Toby's face. Toby stepped into the vehicle and crawled over Sylvester before leaning towards the back of Walter's seat.

"It clearly wasn't nothing if you're willing to go to great lengths at keeping it from me." Toby smirked and playfully batted his eyes at Walter. "So… did something happen between you and Miss Dineen this morning?"

"And why would you ask that?" Walter crossed his arms and glanced at Toby.

"Here we go again." Sylvester rolled his eyes.

"You're busy pooping, remember?" Toby deadpanned before turning his attention to Walter again. "To answer _your _question," Toby smirked and poked Walter's shoulder, "if there's one thing you hate more than my personal assessment of your behavior, it's when my psychobabble is about your relationship with Paige."

"And as I've said a hundred times," Walter frowned, "my relationship with Paige is none of your business, Toby."

"The longer you avoid answering my question, the more I'll press." Toby clearly wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.

"Then press away because I'm not going to say anything." Walter shifted in his seat and avoided Toby as he looked towards the window in front of him.

Sylvester watched the two go at it for several minutes. Toby continued trying to find ways to get Walter to fess up, while Walter simply sat in silence, ignoring the shrink. Just before Sylvester was about to confess to Toby about what he had walked in on earlier in the day, Cabe opened the door to the driver's seat, and Happy climbed into the back of the van. Toby immediately clamped his mouth shut and turned his attention to Happy. Walter, on the other hand, seemed very much in depth with his thoughts, but Sylvester was grateful for Toby's distraction; at least they weren't arguing anymore.

Hopefully, the ride back to the garage would be a peaceful one.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Toby was the first person to walk into the garage, followed by the rest of the team. On their way back to HQ, Toby took the time to secretly devise a plan where he would corner Sly and _politely _convince the human calculator to describe what he had seen when he went up to the loft earlier in the day. The plan was almost too perfect, and he knew exactly how to make Sylvester talk.

As Toby made his way to his desk, he spotted Walter bolting up the stairs – probably to check on Paige. Although Walter might not realize it, he was smitten with a kitten – and that kitten was none other than Miss Paige Dineen. And if Toby actually had money on him, he would bet on Paige also having feelings for Mr. Emotional Dumpster Fire. It would certainly explain her attachment to him.

"Hey, Doc." Happy called him out of his thoughts and leaned against his desk. "Where's the OTR Investigation folder? I wanna take a look at a few things again."

"Because my forearm theory was a bust?" Toby lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"Something like that." Happy gave him a small smile. "Even though Paige's attacker wasn't in the system for serial rape, it doesn't mean he's not in the system altogether. For all we know, he might have a record, but it might not be exclusive with rape or sexual assault. It could be something as simple as a robbery. Or, maybe what he did to Paige was his ticket into a gang. Perhaps that was why he was wearing the hoodie; maybe it's a gang marker or something."

"Nah, I doubt it was a gang initiation gig. Gang rape is common for female candidates in order to join a gang, but if Paige's attacker_ was _a part of a gang, the odds of him acting alone are slim. Gangs who use sex as a tool for initiation usually do it in groups; however, it's not uncommon for first-time sexual assault offenders to have a record so we'll keep digging. I'm sure we'll find him in the system somewhere." Toby said as he opened his desk drawer to pull out the manila envelope. He froze when he couldn't find it. "I could have sworn I put it in my desk this morning before we left for the case."

"Did you have it out at all?" Happy folded her arms and started fumbling through the stacks of paper on his desk.

"Yeah… I was looking at is this morning on the kitchen table. I picked it up to put it back…," he slapped his head, "…and I placed it back down on the table when I got distracted seeing you walking back to your desk a—"

"—and you forgot to pick it back up afterwards." Happy shook her head in dismay. "Nice goin', Doc. So much for it being OTR."

"Now wait a minute," Toby crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow. "Just because I left it on the table, it doesn't mean anything happened to it. For all we know, it's still there, untouched."

"You better hope Paige didn't stumble upon it; if she did, you're screwed." Happy pursed her lips; her comment sent Toby flying to the kitchen. "Oh crap," Toby muttered when he saw the shattered mug and spilt coffee on the floor next to the table. The file was nowhere to be found. "Double crap."

"Yep. Like I said," Happy leaned against the counter. "Screwed."

"A note of positivity could be nice, you know." Toby glanced at Happy as he took off his hat and groaned. Forget screwed. Cabe was going to kill him!

"You're the one who left the file out for her to find." Happy said as she handed him a broom and a dustpan.

"Well, it wasn't on purpose!"

"Purpose or not, you forgot to put it away," Happy tsked as Walter came running down the stairs, asking anybody if they've seen Paige.

Toby cringed and rose to his feet. "I haven't seen her, but I think I know why you can't find her." God, this was going to suck. Walter turned towards him and spotted the mess on the ground. When Walter's eyes met his, he demanded answers. "I, uh, _might _have accidentally forgotten to put the envelope in which I was keeping all of the information of Paige's attack away this morning, and she _might _have seen it and _could _have freaked."

"Because of the broken crockery, spilt coffee and missing file, I'd see the chances of Toby's hypothesis being true is 98% accurate." Sylvester stated as he pushed up his glasses and examined the kitchen.

"No one asked you, Crème Pooper!" Toby snapped at Sylvester before turning to Walter; he gulped in response to the glare Mr. 197 was giving him. "I'm just… going to go and… slam my head against my desk."

"Yeah. You do that." Walter's voice was low and sent chills down Toby's spine. He was toast. Mega toast. No. Burnt toast. Nope. Nope. Nope. Charred.

Toby took a step back from Walter and then scrambled to his desk when he saw a devoid Paige floating towards him. Yes. She was floating… like a ghost. Her zombie-like waltz gave him even more chills than Walter's glare did. She was standing in front of his desk now, and all he could do was gulp and say, "Well, hiya, Paige." He forced a laugh. "Did you, uh, get a chance to read the funnies today?"

Paige slammed the manila envelope on Toby's desk, causing the shrink to jump. Walter, Happy and Sylvester ran out of the kitchen the moment Paige started yelling at Toby. "Why do you have this?!"

"It's, um, it's evidence." Toby swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I know what it is, Toby!" Paige cheeks were stained with tears, and her voice was hoarse. "Why do you have it?!"

"You were never meant to see that." Toby nervously rolled his chair backwards until it hit the wall.

"I don't _care _if I wasn't meant to see it! WHY DO YOU HAVE IT?!" Paige grabbed the manila folder and waved it in the air.

"Cabe th-thought it would be a good idea to collect evidence – as much evidence as possible in case you decided to report what happened." Toby stammered; he usually didn't get nervous, but Paige was seriously scaring the shit out of him right now.

Paige tossed the envelope backwards, and all of its contents flew in hundreds of directions. "I never _said _I wanted to come forward!" She then spun around on her heels and glanced at everybody in the room. "I don't know how many of you were in on this, but _this _investigation stops _now_."

"But we're finally on to something." Happy balked and folded her arms in front of her. "Don't you want to know who the bastard was so you can exact revenge and give him what he deserves?"

Toby smacked his head against his desk, awaiting Paige's outburst.

"NO!" Paige threw her hands up into the air. "NO! I DON'T!" She ran for the stairs and then turned around as more tears spilled from her eyes. "I want NOTHING more to do with him; he's already taken so much from me, and all I want to do is forget it ever happened! You HEAR that?! IT. NEVER. HAPPENED." Without another word, Paige stormed up the stairs, and Walter followed.

"Not. Good." Toby muttered as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Hey. That's my line." Happy gave him a light smack on the head. "Other than the fact that you caused this," Happy frowned, "what's eating you?"

"Paige has entered the second stage of adjustment – denial. She's going to try to live her life as if it never happened." Toby sighed and placed his hat back on his head.

"Isn't that a good thing, then?" Sylvester asked as he looked towards the loft.

"Depends… sometimes it's therapeutic to forget about it, but denying it ever happened won't help her heal from it. It _still _happened, and she _needs _to come to terms with it. The longer she denies it, the more impact it will ultimately have on her life." Toby pulled at his face and groaned.

"You said there are stages, right?" Happy asked as she pulled her hair up into a low ponytail.

"Yeah. First it's shock…. And then denial…. And lastly, integration."

"Well, once she comes to terms with it, she'll be out of the denial phase, right?" Toby could tell Happy was trying to put a positive spin on things.

"Yeah, but there's no guarantee when she'll enter the final stage of adjustment; it could take weeks to months to years. It's different for every survivor." Toby leaned back into his chair and propped his feet onto his desk. "While adjustment is a process, it's still going to be a long road for Paige."

"I hate this." Sylvester frowned as he continued to stare towards the loft.

"We all do." Happy sighed.

"Perhaps Paige is right; maybe you two _should _stop the investigation – for now at least." Sly turned towards Toby and Happy, "I think it would be wise to resume once she's ready – if she's ever ready – to report the attack. Paige is in enough stress and pain as it is; doing this investigation, if you want my honest opinion, is only adding fuel to the fire – and after Paige's response, I would think you guys would reconsider your involvement in the investigation."

As Sylvester left for his desk, Cabe walked into the garage.

"Where've you been?" Happy asked the agent as he made his way towards them.

"On the phone with Homeland." Cabe replied as he looked about the room and noticed all of the contents of the investigation scattered about the floor. "I'm guessing I missed something pretty big, didn't I?"

"Yeah. You did." Happy nodded and headed for her desk as Toby held up his thumb and forefinger as though he was holding a small cube of ice between his two fingers.

"Don't worry about it." Toby rose to his feet and started picking up all of the papers that were in the OTR folder. "It was just your average episode of _The Young and the Restless _in here. No big deal."

"Oh. It's a very big deal," Sylvester corrected Toby and gave the shrink a shrug in defense.

"Alright, Doc." Cabe folded his arms across his chest and planted his feet firmly on the ground in front of Toby. "They say you're the spiller around here. So… Start spilling."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter bolted up the stairs after Paige, but she wasn't in the loft. There was only one other place she could be... He scrambled towards the steps heading up to the roof and found Paige leaning against the side of the building with her arms resting on the bricks. He slowly approached her and quietly spoke her name so he wouldn't startle her upon his arrival.

It was a silent three minutes before she spoke. She didn't even look at him. "Did you know about the investigation?"

Walter decided there was no point in lying to her so he nodded. "I did."

"Even after I told you I wanted only to forget about it?"

"Yes."

A tear fell from her eye. "Why?" She turned towards him. "Why did you go behind my back?"

"I didn't." Walter bit his lip and then added, "I only knew about the investigation; the details were purposely kept from me due to my anger… management issues."

"But you still knew about it." Paige's voice cracked. She turned towards the city again. "Let me make this clear, Walter. I don't want to report it. All I want is to forget about it, and in order to do that, I am just going to pretend it never happened. I don't want to hear about it anymore or talk about it anymore. As far as I am concerned, it never happened."

If it was what she wanted, then he would respect her wishes. "Okay. I understand." They stood in silence for several long minutes; even though Walter promised he wouldn't speak any more about the attack, but he wanted Paige to understand the intentions of the team in regards to the investigation. "The reason evidence was being collected wasn't because Toby was planning on bringing his and Happy's findings to the police, Paige."

"Walter…, I said I don't want to talk about it anymore." She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

"I know, but," Walter turned his attention towards the streets, "I feel like you should know that their intentions were pure – despite the fact that they went behind your back."

"What're you talking about?" Paige glanced at him and sighed. She crossed her arms and leaned against the bricks.

"The reason Toby and Happy were collecting evidence had a lot more to do with having substantial proof to support your case if and only if you decide to come forward. I know, right now, you don't want to, but if there's a chance you decide to change your mind, you'll have a stronger case with all of the evidence that has been collected. They weren't planning on doing anything with their findings unless you said something about wanting to report it. That's all they were doing." Walter glanced at Paige and caught her looking at him.

"Whatever their intentions were, Walter," she combed her hair with her fingers, "it was behind my back…, and that hurts. My trust is really thin these days, and to find out I've been kept in the dark about something that has _everything _to do with me is… well, it doesn't give me a lot of hope right now. It makes me wonder what else people have been keeping from me."

"Nothing," Walter reached for her palms. "There's nothing else."

"How do you know?"

"How do I know anything?" Walter forced a chuckle, but it died quickly when she didn't laugh with him. "Um, I…, uh, I promise I'm not withholding anything else from you."

"What about the others?"

"I… I can't answer that."

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Okay." She inhaled a deep breath and then opened her eyes as a tear fell down her cheek. "I need you to promise me you won't go behind my back like that again. I need some kind of reassurance that you're on my side in all of this, Walter." She looked away as if she was ashamed to look him in the eyes. "…after everything, I don't think I can handle any of this alone – especially if I want to try to forget it all."

"Hey," Walter's palms found her face and leaned his forehead against hers. "I'm on your team; okay?"

She nodded and closed her eyes as she brought her palms to his hands and held them against her face. "I want to believe you," she whispered, "but those are just words."

"Then believe in this," Walter mumbled as he lightly pressed his lips against hers and rested his palms on her shoulders. Her lips trembled against his, and as he slowly and gently tugged on her lower lip with his mouth, she pulled away but didn't tear her eyes from him.

"I'm sorry," she bit her lip and then looked away from him. "I c-can't." Before another word was said, she tore herself away from him and rushed to the door, leaving Walter feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I actually had this chapter going for quite a lonnnnnng while so I have part of the next chapter written out…. Sooooo…. That means the next chapter will be up sooner than later. ;)

Let me know what you think!


	13. Love

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new. Happy Easter, though!

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 12: **

**Love**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_But you see the real me…  
Hiding in my skin…  
…broken from within__…_

…

The ride back to Paige's apartment was quiet and awkward for Paige, and she was sure it was awkward for Walter too. While neither one of them spoke to each other since the rooftop incident, Paige was beginning to suspect Ralph's suspicion; the boy kept glancing at both Paige and Walter during the entire ride. Even her ten-year-old son wasn't blind to the elephant in the car.

When they entered the apartment, Ralph immediately ran to his bedroom, but Paige wasn't so eager to go into hers yet. There was a lot of negativity in her room the last time she was in there. The darkness could still be looming within; maybe she wasn't ready to return home yet. Maybe she was way in over her head thinking she could come home and pretend nothing happened. Reminders were everywhere.

Paige looked at her watch and then told Ralph to get ready for bed; it was almost ten. The boy did as he was told as Paige sat down on her couch and heaved a loud sigh; Walter circled around the sofa and sat next to her.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Walter muttered as he laced his fingers with hers and brought her knuckles to his lips. "That was stupid of me."

"It wasn't stupid, Walter." Paige raked her hand through her hair.

"Then…, why did you pull away?"

A fair question. "I was… caught off guard, and then I got scared."

"I would never d—"

"I know." Paige cut him off and squeezed his hand. "I know, Walter."

Before another word was said, Ralph exclaimed that he was ready for bed and was waiting for both Paige and Walter to say goodnight to him. The young mother and genius walked hand-in-hand into Ralph's room to say goodnight to him. Walter ruffled the boy's hair, and Paige gave her son a peck on the forehead. After the boy turned away from them and closed his eyes, they quietly walked back to the couch to continue their conversation.

Paige was the first to speak. "I pulled away, Walter, because I was scared of myself."

"I'm not following."

Paige sighed and swallowed. "I'm afraid that if I act on my feelings for you, I'll only ruin the one strong relationship I have other than with my son."

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know," Paige shrugged. "I just do."

"I don't believe in that."

"You don't believe in a lot of things."

"I know, but I'm starting to believe in _more _things… I now believe in love," Walter held her gaze, "so are you giving that up too?"

"I never said I was." Paige didn't understand where his question was stemming from.

"Well, I may be new to all of this love stuff, but someone once told me you need to take risks for ones you love… so why don't you want to take a risk, Paige?" Walter's voice was sincere and soft; she could tell he was only trying to understand her view on things.

"It's… complicated." Paige looked at anywhere but Walter.

"Is it?" Walter clearly wasn't convinced.

Paige blinked back her tears and knew Walter was going to continue pressing if she didn't give him a viable explanation. "Aside from… _it_…," she kept saying she wanted to forget what happened to her three months ago, but _it _continued finding ways to butt into her life… her decisions… her mind; it was almost impossible to forget _it _completely. "I've been burned one too many times, Walter. I don't know if I can handle watching another person I love walk away; I've had too much taken away from me already, and I can't start something with you only to have it go up into flames later. Maybe it's best if we just stay friends…."

"You don't really mean that, do you?" Walter touched her shoulder as she buried her face into her hands.

"I don't know…. I don't know much of anything anymore." Paige groaned into her palms. As she pulled down on her face, she mumbled, "I'm such a mess."

"On the beach you said you wanted there to be an 'us.' Has that…, um…, has that changed?" Walter ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

"No, Walter." Paige shook her head. "I still want it… I just… I don't trust myself to have it."

"Don't trust yourself? Or, don't think you deserve it?"

Paige found his eyes. "Both?"

"I trust you, and I think you deserve it. Does that count?" Walter reached for her hand again. "I want you to want to deserve it too."

"And I want for myself to want to deserve it." Paige felt a tear fall down her cheek. "But…," she shook her head, "I just don't see that happening right now." She pulled her hand away from Walter's and rose to her feet. "I'm sorry." She started for her room when Walter gently wrapped his fingers around her wrist. She silently stood with her back facing the man she loved; she couldn't stop her tears from falling. Oh, how much she wanted to give him everything, but she didn't have anything left to give him.

And she didn't deserve what he wanted to give her.

"Paige…."

"I'm sorry." Paige cut him off and inhaled a deep breath. She quickly wiped her tears from her eyes, but more fell. "I love you, Walter, but… I ca—I just can't." Without another word, she tore her wrist from Walter's grasp and briskly walked into her room before shutting the door behind her.

And when the door closed her off from the rest of the world, she sank to the floor and cried.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter didn't approach Paige for a few hours; he really didn't know what to say or how to help her trust herself again, but he knew he had to try something. Anything. He lightly knocked on Paige's bedroom door and softly called out her name, but she didn't answer. Careful not to wake up Ralph, Walter slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open before walking into her bedroom. He expected her to be in bed, but she wasn't. She was wide awake, staring into the full body mirror Walter had bought to replace the one she had broken three months ago. He knew he should have left the moment he noticed she was wearing only her undergarments, but something compelled him to approach her.

Paige spotted his reflection in the mirror but didn't do anything; her reflection simply stared at him as he sauntered towards her.

She was the first to speak. "This is the first time I've seen myself in a mirror since… _it _happened, and I can't even bring myself to see any more of me than this…." She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Walter wanted to pull her into his arms, but he kept his distance. "Tell me," Paige met his gaze, "how can I ever allow myself to be seen by the man I love if I can't even bring myself to strip completely in front of a mirror?" She went silent for several seconds. "I'm pathetic."

"You're not pathetic, Paige." Walter walked up to her and cautiously rested his palm on her shoulder from behind her. She didn't flinch from his touch. "You just need time."

"But that's just it, Walter!" Paige shot a glance at him from the mirror. "I don't _want _time!"

"Then what _do_ you want?" Walter asked, trying to understand Paige's mindset on things.

"I want _you_, Walter." Paige's voice cracked.

Okay. Now he was _greatly _confused. "But you sai—"

"I know what I said earlier," Paige cut him off. "But what I want… it's… it's a lot different than how I feel about myself." She shifted her gaze to the floor. "I _want _to feel beautiful for you, but I don't feel beautiful. I want to be loved by you, Walter, but I don't feel like I deserve it. I don't feel like I deserve a lot of things – especially where I _want _our relationship to go…, but that doesn't mean I still don't want it. I just… I don't know how to feel again…."

"Well…," Walter hated that she felt so undeserving; if only she could see what he could see. Suddenly… he had an idea. "…whenever I have a problem understanding Normals, you usually come up with some sort of social experiment…. It normally helps… so maybe… maybe if I…," he paused as he tried to find the right words to say, "sh-show you how I.., um…, how I feel about you…," he scratched the side of his face, "…it'll help you feel again too."

She turned to look at him. "How do you know it'll work?"

"I don't," Walter answered quickly. "But…, we won't know unless we try." She closed her eyes and combed her fingers through her hair as Walter added, "It's up to you, though. I don't want to do anything you're not comfortab—"

"I want to give it a try," Paige inhaled a deep breath.

"We don't have to if you don't want to." Walter gulped and scratched his head; he didn't really give his theory much thought, and now that she was actually considering it, he wondered if it was a good idea in the first place.

"I want to, though."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Paige mumbled with pleading eyes.

"Okay." Walter muttered as he gazed into her dark brown irises and cupped her cheek, cautiously bringing his lips to hers. He honestly had no idea where he was going to take this experiment, but he wanted her to feel what he felt about her. He would only go as far as she wanted; nothing more. He pulled away slightly and rested his forehead against hers as the tip of his nose touched her cheek. He could hear her slow, quiet breaths as they brushed against the bottom of his chin. His eyes caught hers, and then she closed her eyelids as she leaned in for another soft, chaste kiss.

When she pulled away, her eyes fluttered open, and she gazed into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity before she lightly pressed her lips against his once more. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him as she kissed him harder. She loosened his tie and slid it off of his neck, dropping it onto the floor before unbuttoning his light blue shirt. After the last button was free, her palms slid underneath the collar, and she pushed the lightweight material off of his shoulders. As she hooked her arms around his neck, he tugged off his shirt from his arms and then held her cheeks in his palms, kissing her fervently.

Every touch shared between them was gentle, gradual and careful; a thousand ways he showed her how he loved her, and all he was doing was holding her close and kissing her. They had moved to the bed, and he was lying beside her as she kissed him, not wanting her to feel like he was forcing her into anything she didn't want to do. His fingers were laced with hers, and one of her legs was curled around his; both of them were still in their undergarments, and all they did was hold each other and kiss. That was all Paige was comfortable with, and he was okay with whatever made her comfortable. He only wanted her to be comfortable and safe; that was all he could ever ask for at this point.

"Walter?" Paige mumbled his name against his lips and leaned her forehead against his.

"Hm?"

She kissed him again. "Thank you…"

"For what?"

She gave him a small smile. "For loving me even when I didn't love myself."

As he leaned in to press hot kisses against her mouth, he believed everything will eventually be okay… something told him Paige believed that too.

And okay was good.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001:**

I know this was a lot shorter than the last chapter, but I felt like this would be a good place to stop. I really struggled with this chapter mainly because I couldn't decide if _this _would be the chapter where they make love, but the more I wrote it, the more I wasn't feeling like it was the right time yet for sex. So… that chapter will be later… when I'm actually feeling it. LOL. I just wasn't feeling it this time so I decided that the lost vibes meant it wasn't time for Walter and Paige to have sex.

Anyway, let me know what you think!

I promise the next chapter will be longer.


	14. Resurrection

**WriterFreak001: **

Impatiently waiting for April 13th and 20th to creep up on me. ;~;

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 13: **

**Resurrection**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Unveil me…  
…Completely__…_

…

"Sylvester, were you even listening to me?"

"Huh? What?" Sylvester blinked as his girlfriend lightly touched his hand, bringing him out of his thoughts and back to reality. "Sorry, Megan; I really wasn't."

"Still worried about Paige?" Megan knew him so well. He worried about all of his friends, but what happened to Paige six months ago was truly devastating. There were so many things he wish he could do to help her, but every time he wanted to reach out to her, he didn't really know what to say. Toby said she would be sensitive to touch so he didn't dare hug her – even though he wanted to. Sylvester had a bad habit of saying things he shouldn't, and he was worried that anything he would say to Paige would upset her. So he often kept his thoughts to himself and merely gave her a smile every chance he could get. She was speaking more – she even said hi to him the other day; it wasn't cheerful or anything, but at least it was _something_.

Sylvester had noticed a change in Walter and Paige's relationship; whenever she was in the garage, they were together. They were more touchy-feely – more than usual, at least. Walter sometimes let her rest her head on his shoulder whenever he was sitting on the couch, and their fingers were always entwined. It was a little weird to see his boss so… human, but he was glad Walter made Paige feel better. Aside from Walter, Ralph was the only other person who really helped Paige through her day. If she wasn't with Walter or Cabe or Toby whenever the boy was being picked up from school or aftercare, the first thing Ralph would do after school was run up to her and give her a big hug. Paige always welcomed him with opened arms, but Sylvester wouldn't expect anything less from the young mother. Ralph was very special to her – in more ways than anybody, including Walter, could ever be. And even though Sylvester didn't have much to say (or didn't really know _what _to say) to Paige, he couldn't help but smile every time he saw her hug her son. Their bond was truly rare and was clearly treasured.

"Yeah," Sylvester slumped his shoulders and sighed. "I just wish I could do something, you know? Paige is a good friend, and it's great that she seems to be better, but she still doesn't really seem like herself. She's not as independent as she used to be…, and it sometimes hurts to watch her force a smile or fake a laugh. She's a good friend, and I just want to let her know, somehow, that she is important in all of our lives."

"That's sweet," Megan reached over and squeezed his hand. "She'll come around in her own time, Sly. Just be there for her and support whatever decisions she makes about the whole ordeal. It's her life so no one should force her into any decision she doesn't want to make – especially considering the circumstances."

"I agree." Sylvester nodded with a smile. "She wasn't very happy when she found out about Toby and Happy's OTR investigation revolving around her attacker."

"I don't doubt it." Megan blinked with surprise. "Toby and Happy went behind her back?"

"Well… Toby, Happy and Cabe. Technically all of us did…. Walter and I knew about the investigation, but we stayed out of it. I hate deception, and Walter didn't need any reason to storm out of the garage and do something stupid."

"Like castrating the bastard?" Megan chuckled with a smirk.

"Yeah. Something like that." Sylvester laughed. "Toby, Happy and Cabe all had good intentions, but Paige wasn't supposed to find out about it – since her outburst, the investigation has kind of gone cold; Walter forbade Toby and Happy from further investigation and told them to keep everything they had on ice so that if Paige is ever ready to come forward, she'll still have the evidence in her favor."

"And how exactly is Paige doing? I haven't heard from Walter in a while, but I don't expect to; he's where he needs to be." Megan leaned back into her chair as Sylvester gave her a sad smile.

"She's… dealing. She's trying to convince herself that the attack didn't happen; no one had brought it up for two months, and Walter told all of us to act like nothing happened – that was what Paige wanted so we're doing our best to respect her wishes. It's still hard, though… knowing what happened and trying to pretend it didn't."

"I'm sure it's just a phase." Megan matched Sylvester's saddened expression. "Every survivor deals with rape and sexual assault differently."

"I know. Toby calls it the denial stage. He says that while forgetting it happened can be therapeutic in some stances, it can also be unhealthy because the denial keeps Paige from adjusting and dealing with what happened to her." Sylvester sighed and cracked his knuckles. "It's obvious the attack has affected her behavior; she hardly smiles and barely laughs, but when she does, it's either forced or fake. Nothing genuine yet. At least not around us; I can't say the same about Ralph or Walter – she acts semi-more herself when she's with them. More clingy, but other than that, she's somewhat herself with Walter and Ralph."

"That's good…. At least it's progress." Megan shrugged. She combed her fingers through her hair before crossing her arms in front of her. "So… last I heard, Paige and Ralph were staying with Walter at the garage. Is that still happening?"

"No," Sylvester shook his head with a small smile. "She and Ralph are actually living at home again; they have been for almost two months. Walter goes over there a lot – not every night but fairly often."

"Wait…," Megan's eyes popped open, "Are they…you know…sleeping together?"

"I don't think so…," Sylvester grimaced at the thought. "I just think he goes over there to keep her company. Toby had also noticed how Walter sometimes came in with Paige to the garage almost every other morning; at first, he thought they had consummated their relationship, but the more he observed Paige's behavior, the more he was convinced his original assumption was wrong. He currently believes their relationship has somewhat gone to a higher level, but he doesn't think they're sleeping together. He just thinks Walter's frequent visits to Paige's apartment is due to his instinctual desire to want to protect her – nothing more."

"That makes sense; if anything, Walter _is _obsessively protective of her." Megan laughed as she reached for her coffee mug and took a sip from it. "Considering his feelings for her and all."

"What feelings?" Sylvester stammered as he rose an eyebrow. "I noticed there was a mutual attraction between Walter and Paige, but affections? Maybe on Paige's part, but Walter doesn't have feelings, remember?"

Megan smirked. "Oh, Sylvester; how naïve you are." She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "Walter is so in love with Paige; it's pretty obvious."

"You think?"

"Oh, I know." Megan laughed. "He told me himself."

"He did, did he?" Sylvester blinked. Of all of the people he would ever think to fall in love, Walter O'Brien certainly wasn't one of them. Sure, he could see Walter being attracted to Paige and maybe even _liking _her, but love? That just didn't sound like Walter. Then again, love didn't really make sense half of the time so maybe it _was _possible for Walter to be in love with Paige.

"Well… not on purpose. I kind of probed him and sent his EQ on overdrive when Paige was in the hospital. I knew he wouldn't admit it unless he snapped so I pushed all the wrong buttons – or maybe the right ones – until he practically exploded with EQ. It was actually fun to see him squirm a little but heartbreaking at the same time because of how helpless he felt. Anyway," Megan stretched her arms, "how is that brother of mine?"

"He's doing better now that Paige is beginning to open up more to him. I don't really know the extent of their relationship, but he seems content with whatever is going on between him and Paige. When we go on our assignments, he won't let her leave his sight." Sylvester shrugged and grinned. "At least she's out and about; that's good progress, I guess."

"Is she working full time again?"

"No. Not yet, but she starts working full time tomorrow. If working all day every day for the next week is too much for her, she'll be back to working part time until she's ready – psychologically – to be out there in the field. For the past several months, she had attended few assignments but did a lot of the paperwork at home or at the garage."

"So what you're saying is that tomorrow is when shit starts to get real." Megan chuckled and took another sip. She shifted her weight a little to get comfortable.

"Pretty much." Sylvester smiled.

"Has she started seeing a shrink or going to group therapy?"

"Sadly, no. Toby's tried to convince her to see a friend of his and has offered to give her information of a local group that meets for therapy, but she refuses to talk about the attack and has pretty much made up her mind about not going to see a therapist for any reason."

"Well, in my opinion, she shouldn't return to work until she's talked to someone about the trauma; she may realize very quickly this week that her attack has affected her life in more ways than she's ever realized. Isn't it protocol for anybody who works for the government to see a shrink after a traumatic event?"

"Technically, yes. However, Paige hasn't gone to the police so… protocol doesn't really apply in this case, and since she _sees _a shrink every day, she has plenty of opportunities to talk to Toby if she wants – so, there's that." Sylvester shrugged and then crossed his arms in front of him. "I'm sure Toby's been quietly monitoring her behavior over these past six months so if he thinks she's not ready to go back into the field on a daily basis, he would most definitely tell Cabe and Walter about his concerns."

"I guess you'll see how it pans out tomorrow." Megan said as she reached for her supports and pushed herself to her feet. "Let's get outta here; I'm famished and could definitely eat something _other _than hospital food."

"Okay," Sylvester hopped to his feet. "What do you have in mind?"

"Chinese good to you?"

"Chinese sounds lovely," Sylvester smiled and kissed Megan's cheek. "But let's get it to-go; I don't have hand sanitizer on me, and I don't even want to _think _about the kinds of nasty things you can find on a diner table without proper sanitation."

Megan laughed. "You're too funny, Sylvester."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Cabe wasn't sure if letting Paige come back to work fulltime was a good idea; even though it's been six months since the attack, she seemed odd… unlike herself; she wasn't as social and personable as she once was, and that could be a problem for their clients, but she was convinced she was ready to return fulltime. The other day, Cabe had gone to the doc to ask of his professional opinion, and Toby seemed onboard; he thought it had been long enough for Paige to start wanting to return to her daily routine – the fieldwork, in Toby's opinion, might actually serve as a healthy distraction for her. So despite Cabe's personal feelings, he decided to let her start coming back onto the field fulltime, but he made a personal promise to keep an eye on her.

Over the past six months, Cabe had noticed the subtle changes in Walter and Paige's relationship and could tell _something _was different about them, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. He knew they both had mutual feelings for one another – that was damn straight obvious; he also knew they were both aware of each other's affection towards one another. He had overheard them talking once about their feelings once when he was on his way to the loft to fetch Walter for a case. When he realized what sort of conversation Walter and Paige were having, he went back downstairs and impatiently waited for 197 to make his way down the steps.

He was glad that Paige seemed like she was doing better – she wasn't superb, but she was better. Improving would be a better term to describe her. She had certainly improved, but there was still a lot of room for progress. He didn't expect her to be a ray of sunshine anytime soon, but eventually, she'll find her smile again, and whenever that day came, he was going to be one proud son of a bitch.

This morning, the team was on their way to Los Angeles Air Force Base to meet an old acquaintance; some of the military tech had a software glitch, and they need Scorpion's expertise on fixing the system and locating the source of the virus. It was a simple task unlike the LAX ordeal over a year ago; at least the air force didn't have any birds in the air when the caught the glitch.

As Cabe drove the van, he couldn't help but glance every so often into the rearview mirror to see how Paige was doing. She and Walter were sitting in the far back, and for most of the ride, she had been staring out the window, lost in thought. Walter was busy on his computer, but Cabe noticed the genius stealing glances at the woman every once in a while. It was heartwarming to see how Walter's feelings for Paige had affected him; he was certainly not the same Walter O'Brien Cabe had reconnected with the day of the LAX debacle.

Cabe had Paige to thank for that.

And Ralph too.

And some day, Walter was going to be the one who changes _Paige's _heart just as she had changed his.

**~ SCORPION ~**

While Toby, Happy and Sylvester were admiring the different tech prototypes and as Cabe reminisced with Major General Donald Bilson, Walter was packing up his tech, and Paige was helping him. He told her where things went, and she did as she was told, wanting to feel useful in spite of her intellectual differences between herself and the rest of the team. She also helped him carry out his things to the car while everyone else was still busy.

"Just wondering…," Walter slowly reached for her palms and squeezed her fingers, "…since Ralph needs some help on his most recent science project tonight, do you mind if the two of you stay the night at the garage? We can order pizza and maybe watch a movie of your choice after Ralph and I are done working on his project…." He scratched the side of his face and gulped; she enjoyed his nervous habits – they were one of the things that made Walter, well…, Walter.

She gave him a small smile. "Sounds fun; Ralph would like that."

Walter rested his palms against the base of her neck. "And you?"

"Yeah," Paige nodded, forcing her smile wider. She could tell Walter wasn't convinced. "Like I said. Sounds fun."

"I may not be a shrink, Paige, but I've been with you long enough to know when you're lying; what's really going on?" Walter's voice softened as he slowly brought his hands to her face.

She shrugged. "I'm just…," how to put it so gently? "…not really in the mood for a movie tonight…."

"Okay, so we don't have to watch a movie; I'm sure we can find something else to do." She could tell Walter was really trying; the way he loved her made her want to grin, but it was almost as through her lips had forgotten how to form a genuine smile. So she had to do her best and force them or fake them.

The thought of just Walter, Ralph and her hanging out like a real family made her realize how much she wanted some sort of future with the man in front of her. She wanted it so much, but she was scared to let herself have it. She knew she shouldn't be because she knew Walter would never hurt her (or intentionally hurt her), but she just wasn't sure she was ready to let Walter completely in.

Over the last two months, she was surprised to learn how patient Walter was; he never forced her into anything she didn't want to do, and whenever she told him she could only go so far in their relationship, he was never disappointed with her discomfort. It's been two months since their first kiss… since the first time they held each other in bed in nothing but their undergarments… since the first time she started seeing herself differently than the woman in the mirror, and he _still _was patient with her. She still wasn't comfortable with anything beyond sleeping next to him in her undergarments, and he seemed okay with that. He learned his lesson the first time he kissed her; now, he never dropped any surprised kisses when they were with their friends, and he also was very discreet in the company of others. They held hands and leaned against one another, but that was the extent of their PDA; everything else they did… shared kisses and less-than-appropriate touches were either left in the bedroom or done in private. It was what Paige was comfortable with, and Walter respected her level of comfort.

"Okay," Paige muttered as she wrapped her arms around Walter's middle and leaned her head against his chest. As he pulled her closer to him, she closed her eyes and melted into his embrace. He quickly kissed the top of her head, and she released him when she heard the others making their way to the van.

"Hey Walt!" Toby exclaimed as he skipped towards the van, "Be careful! You're EQ is showing!"

"Leave him alone," Cabe barked and then ordered everyone to get into the van.

"Wait," Paige suddenly remembered she left her jacket on the table in the military office. "My jacket."

"Where is it?" Walter asked as he looked back towards the building.

"I think I left it on one of the tables in the tech office." Paige replied as she started making her way to the building. Walter followed. They walked back into the building, but when they couldn't find her jacket, they decided to split up to cover more area. While Paige searched the back of the office, Walter examined the front of the office. "I know it has to be here; it couldn't have vanished."

"I'm not seeing it, Paige."

"Well, it didn't grow legs and walk away," Paige ran her hands through her hair. "Ralph gave me that jacket for my birthday a few years ago; he'd be crushed if he found out I lost it."

"You didn't lose it," Walter was obviously trying to make her feel better. "It's just… temporarily misplaced; I'm sure, if we keep searching, it'll show up."

"Excuse me," a deep, Southern voice called out from behind Paige and made her jump. She felt a large, foreign hand touch her shoulder, and she froze. "Ma'am?" The man circled around her and waved her black jacket in his hands. "Is this what you're looking for?"

Paige didn't answer; she felt sick to her stomach.

"Ma'am?" He took a step closer to her; she stepped away from him.

"St-stay away!" she backed away from him until her back hit the wall.

"Are you all right, Miss?"

As he approached her, she cowered to the floor. "I said stay back!"

It was getting hard to breathe. Her chest felt heavy, and she wanted to vomit. She held onto the wall and called out Walter's name. She felt incredibly dizzy. When the man took another step closer to her, she hollered Walter's name. Walter came running to her and told the man to leave the jacket on the table and walk away. Without question, the man followed Walter's orders and did as he was told.

"Paige," Walter muttered; his palm was splayed across her back, rubbing small circles between her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"I can't breathe!" Paige was gasping for air. "I can't breathe!"

"Okay…, uh…, uh…," Walter grew frantic as Paige's wheezing grew louder. He shuffled through his pocket for his phone but it dropped from his hands, fell to the floor and slid from his hands. "Dammit!"

"Walter! I can't breathe!" Paige forced out; she had her hand on her chest and her breathing was very shallow. She felt like her entire body was on fire, and her throat burned. Her eyes began to burn with tears.

Walter's palms found her face. He rested his forehead against hers and told her to count to ten with him. He began counting slowly, and by the time he said three, she weakly joined him. And by ten, she was breathing naturally again. Walter never moved his palms from her face nor his forehead from hers. "You're okay," Walter mumbled softly and kissed her forehead. "You're okay."

Tears stung her eyes as she slowly let out a breath of air. "Get me out of here," she spoke quickly, trying to keep herself from throwing up. She swallowed the bile rising up her throat and clutched Walter's shirt. "Please get me out of here."

"Okay," Walter muttered as he handed her jacket to her before scooping her up into his arms. Paige closed her eyes and focused on Walter's breathing, not caring about the stares she was receiving from the rest of the team as Walter carried her out of the building and held her the entire ride back to the garage.

She thought she wanted to pretend _it _didn't happen, but the more she convinced herself she wasn't raped, the stronger it came back with a vengeance. Her memories and pain were ruining her life, and all she wanted was for all of it to stop!

She just wanted all of it to stop!

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter didn't say a single word to the rest of the team as he carried Paige up to the loft after they returned to the garage. He knew they had tons of questions, but he didn't want to say anything until he understood what had happened back at the base himself. All he knew was that she saw a military subordinate wearing a dark green hoodie and freaked. He assumed her sudden panic attack had something to do with the hoodie the official was wearing; whenever Paige _did _talk about the attack, she always referred her attacker as the Dark Hoodie so it wasn't hard to put two and two together; however, something else caused her to have an anxiety attack. Over the last six months, she had seen other people in dark hoodies whenever the two of them went to the beach or when they worked a simple case. She had gotten over the hoodie thing – or so he thought. Maybe she had been putting on a front this whole time and wasn't really improving at all. Maybe everything she had feared about the Dark Hoodie had been repressed, and _something _forced those memories out.

Whatever it was, he was determined to find out.

After he gently laid her on the bed, Walter climbed up on the mattress and rested next to her. She pressed her cheek against his chest and embraced him as tears fell from her eyes. He hated it when she cried. "Hey," he kissed her forehead, "What happened back there?"

"Can we not talk about it?" Her voice was flat and emotionless again. It was almost as though her most recent episode set her back a bit from her progress.

"Okay," Walter sighed. Perhaps it was too soon.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

Not a single word was said for the next three hours.

**~ SCORPION ~**

After a while, Paige asked Walter if she could have some time to herself; at first, he was hesitant leaving her alone, but she insisted. So he left, and she simply stared at the ceiling, realizing that her attack was affecting her life in ways she didn't want to be affected. She wanted it all to end, but it wasn't ending. She felt powerless; all of it kept finding its way back into her life, and she feared she would never move on because of how it is impacting her life.

For an hour, she thought about everything that had happened to her since the attack. She realized she had been in a dark place for so long that _it _was keeping her from seeing the light in her life. She wanted to smile and laugh again. She wanted to make love with the man she loved, and she wanted to find a way to look back on that dark moment in her life and be stronger. She wanted so many things, but she didn't know how to get them. She didn't know how she could ever get them if _it _kept haunting her.

It needed to stop.

THIS needed to stop!

It had to stop.

And there was only one way to make it all go away.

One way to make her feel like she was in control of her life again.

One way for it all to end.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter was at his desk when he heard the entire garage grow quiet. He looked up from his computer and saw Paige descending the stairs. He jumped from his chair and scrambled over to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess." He didn't understand what was going on inside her mind, but she seemed different. A good different. She seemed more at ease. "But there's something I need to say to everyone."

The members of Scorpion shot glances at Paige, waiting for the woman to speak. Walter didn't know what she was going to say, but he figured placing his palm at the small of her back would give her some comfort. She gave him a small smile and a quick peck on the lips. Everyone blinked with surprise. Even Walter was caught off guard with her sudden forward behavior.

"What is it, Paige?" Sylvester was the first to speak as he walked up to the liaison. He was trying to smile.

"I need to sit down," Paige mumbled. Walter led her to the sofa, and everyone followed. Once everybody was gathered around her, she inhaled a deep breath and began to speak. "I didn't know this until today… after what happened in the building…, but," she raked her hand through her hair and let out a shaky breath of air, "…but m-my attacker w-was or is…," she paused and swallowed, "i-is in the air force."

Everyone blinked.

"How do you know?" Cabe was the first to ask the question everyone was thinking.

Walter answered. "The man today…." He pieced things together. "The man who handed her jacket back to her was wearing a dark green hoodie with a small air force logo on the right collarbone area."

"I-it was the same kind of hoodie. I r-remember seeing a faded air force symbol…." She drew slow breaths and tried to remain calm. "It was the same kind of hoodie."

Walter reached for her hand and squeezed it. "Paige…. You don't have t—"

"I want to," Paige cut him off and then looked at everyone else. "I've had a while to think…, and before today, I never really understood just how much my life had been affected since… it. I realized...," she closed her eyes and let out another shaky breath, "in order for me to move past this… I need it… _him_… to stop plaguing my mind. I need to know what becomes of my attacker; otherwise, I won't be able to stop looking over my shoulder. H-he is holding me back, and I'm done trying to think e-everything is okay… b-because it's not… it's not okay, and I don't think my life will ever _be _okay until I know for certain he's no longer looming out there."

"What are you trying to say, Paige?" Walter asked as he squeezed her hand.

All eyes were on her as she looked at only him. "I want to come forward."

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Didn't I promise this would be a longer one?! Heh, I had fun writing this story; I struggled with Sly's section, but I think it came out all right.

Let me know what you think!

PS. There is probably only two more chapters left. AND maybe an epilogue.


	15. Empowerment

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new.

Though, I'd like to point out something completely unrelated to this story. In another story I wrote, a fan pointed out that she believed Walter and Paige could never have a successful relationship on TV in spite of what the fans want. I, however, respectfully disagree completely.

While a relationship between Walter and Paige may be… unconventional due to Walter's lack of EQ, it doesn't mean it won't prevail. The way the show writers have set up the series is that Paige has gotten to know Walter for the oddball that he is, and it's apparent she's fallen in love with him. She knows he's emotionally challenged, but I'd like to think she finds that difficult side of Walter amusing; she gets to try social experiments to help him understand the world of Normals. It's evident Walter clearly wants more than a physical relationship with Paige; the conversation he had with his ex, Janice, shows that he doesn't want to screw things up again and really wants a genuine relationship with Paige. So… I don't think Walter and Paige's future relationship is destined to fail. Sure, it may be a slow build, and there might be some hurtles both Walter and Paige might encounter in order for their relationship (whenever it happens) to work, but what relationship is perfect? LOL There's bound to be issues, and Walter OR Paige may screw up, but if they both really want things to work out, they'll find a way to make it work! :)

They'll find their balance somehow. :)

Also, said fan mentioned that the reason WAIGE won't work is because SCORPION is based off of the life of Walter O'Brien (who is apparently single (news to me)). First and foremost, SCORPION may have been _inspired _by the life of Walter O'Brien, but it's not a detailed script of his life. Walter O'Brien is a government contractor – there are things he can't tell the writers because of confidentiality issues. That being said, obviously, the cases SCORPION handles are mostly made up. That aside, SCORPION is still a fictional show even if it was initially inspired by Walter O'Brien. So… just because the real Walter O'Brien is single, it doesn't mean SCORPION's Walter will end up with the same fate.

Anyway, I'll shut up now!

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 14: **

**Empowerment**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_I'm loosening my grasp…  
There's no need to mask…  
… my frailty…  
Cause you see…  
… the real me…_

…

It had been a long week for Paige after she decided to come forward about her attack; she spent the next day giving her statement to an officer in the presence of an advocate provided by the LAPD. The officer asked her dozens of uncomfortable questions, and there were moments where she had to pause and gather her composure. She answered the officer's questions as best as she could, not wanting to have to retell her story again. After giving her statement, she was sent to a sketch artist. Aside from the dark green air force hoodie, she couldn't give him many details; it was too dark to see her attacker's face, and she felt guilty for not being able to provide an accurate description, but her advocate assured her she had no reason to feel guilty.

She still did, though.

The next few days consisted of various visits by Detective Morrison – the officer placed in charge of her case. He came to the garage, following up on a few leads, asking her a few more questions about her attack. As much as she wanted to forget everything, she wished she could remember more…; she felt useless, and she had begun to feel like coming forward was a bad decision. Questions bred more questions, and she didn't have the answers to them.

Two days ago, Detective Morrison said he would be in touch, but he hadn't called since his last visit; Paige was beginning to wonder if he had given up on her case. She wouldn't blame him; going on a wild goose chase was tiresome and a waste of time. If only she had more information for him.

Paige was sitting at her desk at work with her head buried in her arms. She was tired and exhausted from the last few days; she hadn't slept much because the few leads the detective _did _find kept her awake. If she wasn't thinking about the investigation, she was afraid to sleep…; she was afraid that the new information regarding her case would find its way into her nightmares and make things worse for her. Even with Walter sleeping next to her, she found it hard to close her eyes.

He wasn't aware of her insomnia. Every time he asked her how she slept, she'd lie. She didn't want to worry him or push more of her problems onto him; with his limited EQ, he had enough to deal with within the last six months. The last thing she wanted to do was add more to his plate.

It wouldn't be fair to him.

It just wouldn't.

She felt guilty for keeping things from him, but she felt like she _had _to deal with these things herself; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to salvage her independence. She needed to learn not to depend on Walter for everything; as much as she loved him, she needed to find her own identity again.

"You look like hell."

Paige jumped from the sound of Cabe's voice but quickly recovered, resting her back against her chair and weaving her fingers through her wavy hair. "C-Cabe! What're you doing here?"

"Looking for Walter." Cabe said as he looked around the garage. "But I can see that he's not here."

"He's dropping Ralph off at school; he should be back soon." Paige explained as she twiddled her thumbs in circles.

"Where's everyone else?" Cabe asked and took off his sunglasses.

"Toby and Happy are… well, they should be on their way. Sylvester is sick…. He called in saying he wouldn't be here today." Paige rose to her feet and headed to the kitchen for a fresh cup of cinnamon coffee.

"How does a kid with a hand sanitizer fetish get sick?" Cabe blinked, following Paige to the kitchen.

Paige shrugged. "I was asking myself the same thing when he called, but it sounds like it's just a cold; he should be good as new in the next few days. He's asked people not to visit, though; he doesn't want to risk spreading germs or contracting a different virus." Paige poured herself some coffee and took a sip from her cup before turning to the agent. "Is what you need Walter for urgent?"

"Nah. It can wait until he gets back here." Cabe smiled, leaning against the fridge. "How've you been holding up?"

"I'm fine," Paige forced a smile and took another sip, not wanting to explain herself any further.

"You know," Cabe chuckled, "Walter says the _exact _same thing whenever he's _not _fine." Cabe crossed his arms in front of him and lifted an eyebrow. "Sound familiar?"

Paige grew silent for a few seconds before saying, "It's been a little rough… with the investigation and all…. It's hard to forget when you have an officer coming back again and again to ask question after question about _it_…." She shrugged. "With each new lead, it only adds to my nightmares…, and the fact that they haven't found _him _yet is unsettling."

"I imagine so." Cabe walked over to the coffee pot and pulled a mug out of the cupboard. "That would explain the circles under your eyes."

"You can tell?" Paige thought she had carefully covered the darkness under her eyes with her foundation…. Perhaps not.

"You forget that I was married for quite some time, kid." Cabe smirked and took a swig of his coffee after he poured it.

"Oh. Right." Paige said as she took a seat at the table in the kitchen.

"Does Walter know about your insomnia?" Cabe pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, placing his mug in front of him.

"No…. I don't want him to worry."

"Whether you know it or not, that kid's always worrying." Cabe grinned. "He might not be Sylvester, but in his own way, he's constantly worrying. He just can't express it as well as others."

"I know," Paige gave Cabe a small smile. "I know he's constantly worrying; I guess I just want to lessen the load, you know?" Paige leaned forward and rested her arms on the table. "He sometimes spends the night…; we've sort of been sharing a bed off and on for the past two months now…. N-nothing happens…. We just sleep," her cheeks felt warm as a smile found Cabe's lips. "A-anyway…. I don't know if he's aware of it, but… his EQ is a lot stronger when he's asleep than when he's awake. He's very protective…, and I think his protective nature stems off from his worries. If that makes any sense."

"Makes perfect sense to me," Cabe smirked as he took another sip of his coffee. "I think… because you're Walter's most important thing – whether that IQ of his realizes it or not, he's gonna do whatever he can to ensure you're safe… to ensure _both _you and Ralph are safe. That might _mean _he's clingier at night…; it might mean he's not comfortable with you being alone at times…. The things he's experiencing with you, Paige, are new to him… so it may seem like he's overcompensating; however, he's a big boy. EQ or no EQ, Walter clearly loves you and only wants what's best for you and Ralph."

"I know." Paige said as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

"And I'm sure he's gone to great lengths trying to understand you, yes?" Cabe blinked and then pushed his chair back, walked to the sink, rinsed out his mug and placed it on top of an unused, folded paper towel. He circled around the table and sat back down.

"Quite a few," Paige recalled the time at the beach when he yelled at her because he was so frustrated with her withdrawal from him…. She also remembered all the times he held her and had kissed her… She knew how frustrated he was whenever she blocked him out, but he kept trying…. He tried for several long weeks.

"Walter might not be an emotional butterfly, but he does have a way of finding solutions." Cabe placed his hand over Paige's and squeezed her palm. "You need to give him some credit, Paige; he's obviously trying his best to be there for you and support you, but if you don't talk to him and tell him when something's bothering you or when something's going on, how can you expect him to be there for you when it really matters?" Paige heard the door open, but Cabe continued. "That kid may be clueless as hell at times, but he's got a good heart, and if you talk to him and tell him you're having trouble sleeping," Cabe lowered his voice, "who knows? There might just be something cookin' in that brain of his that might help." Cabe tapped her hand lightly and rose to his feet. "Just… try to see things from his perspective."

"Easier said than done." Paige pushed her hair back.

"You won't know unless you try." Cabe shrugged and then circled around the table, walking out of the kitchen towards the bathroom.

Paige knew Cabe was right; Walter was doing the best he can, and it wasn't fair that she was beginning to push him away again. Maybe she needed to let him in a little more…. Perhaps… perhaps her problems didn't _just _have to be handled by herself; leaning on someone else for help just wasn't something she was used to…, but then again, Walter and EQ were like North and South, but he was trying….

Maybe she needed to try a little harder too.

Paige was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Walter sitting next to her until he said something. "So…," she jumped, and he immediately apologized, "…what were you and Cabe talking about?"

"You." Paige gave him a half smile.

"Me?" Walter blinked. "May I ask why?"

"He was just giving me some advice; that's all." Paige shrugged as Walter's hands found hers from below the table.

"On me?"

"No." Paige shook her head. "He was just…you know what?" Paige muttered, "It doesn't matter; all that matters is what I take from his advice, right?"

"I guess," Walter's face contorted as he scratched the side of his face. "I hope it was nothing bad, at least."

"Nope." Paige gave him a quick kiss. "All good things." She rose to her feet and placed her coffee mug in the sink; Walter stood up and followed her out of the kitchen. Their hands were still entangled. Toby and Happy were still out. "I wonder why they're not here yet."

"I don't really want to think about it," Walter mumbled closely behind her; she chuckled and smiled lightly as he gently pressed his lips against the back of her head. They walked over to the red couch and sat down. Paige rested her head against Walter's shoulder and watched their fingers play together. She felt his lips against her temple as he whispered, "I missed your laugh."

She closed her eyes and leaned towards him, giving him a light kiss on his neck. "I did too…." They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then she muttered his name, wanting to talk to him about her insomnia, but before she could continue, Toby and Happy burst through the door, apologizing to Walter for being late.

"In my defense, _this _time, it _was _Happy's fault we're late." Toby glanced at Happy and then pointed at her, "_She _hid my hat!"

"I did no such thing." Happy snapped and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Yes you did."

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"If you don't shut up, I'll hide my wrench up your ass." Happy frowned; Toby immediately closed his mouth.

"Toby," Walter cleared his throat, causing the shrink and the mechanic to look at him. Without saying a word, Paige's boyfriend slowly pointed towards Toby's desk where his hat was sitting on top of his blue mannequin.

Toby blinked as he looked towards his desk and then gulped as he turned towards Happy. "I owe you a biiiiiig apology…."

"Damn straight!" Happy grabbed a mallet and started smashing metal.

Toby cringed. "I think I'll just… go over there and let her cool down…. Tell me when it's Monday." As the shrink slowly made his way to his desk, Paige started howling with laughter. It caught _everyone _by surprise. She was almost hysterical. No one did or said anything until her laughing subsided.

"You find our quarrels funny?" Happy was the first to speak; she was clearly annoyed with Paige, but Paige really didn't care. Happy's comment made her laugh even harder than the first time. She grabbed her stomach because her muscles started to hurt, and her eyes began tearing up.

"Well, looks like _someone _is enjoying herself a little too much over there," Toby grinned as he approached Walter and Paige.

"Sorry," Paige tried to calm herself down. She inhaled a breath of air and let it out slowly; it was painful, but welcoming. She hadn't laughed like that in years. "I don't know what came over me. You guys are just… funny." There was no other word to describe Toby and Happy's interactions. And the best part? They didn't even have to try.

As Cabe started making his way back to the group, Toby blinked. "Where's Sly?"

"Sick." Paige, Walter and Cabe replied in unison.

Toby smirked. "A germaphobe gets sick, huh? Sounds like the beginning of a good joke."

"Now that you're all here – well mostly all of you," Cabe crossed his arms, "we've got a case."

"What kind?" Walter was the first to ask.

"Missing person's case. An eleven-year-old boy – Michael Teetor – was reported missing yesterday, and it's been twenty-four hours since his disappearance." Cabe's expression softened. Everyone knew he had a soft spot whenever a case involved a kid. Paige's heart went out to the parents of the boy. She couldn't imagine what they must be going through…; it made her situation infinitesimal.

"Why does that concern us?" Walter asked but then added, "I mean, don't the police handle missing kids?"

"This one's a little more… unique. Michael has Williams Syndrome." Cabe rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"Meaning he could have walked off with anybody…." Walter pinched his nose and exhaled a breath of air. "Okay," Walter jumped to his feet, "Grab your things. Let's go."

"Wait…. What's Williams Syndrome?" Paige asked, looking at Cabe, then Toby, then Walter. She quickly deduced that she was the only one who didn't know what it was.

"It's a neurodevelopmental disorder," Toby replied as he grabbed his hat and briefcase. "Kids who have it often have an elven facial appearance; they are usually cheerful kids and have amazing trusting abilities, unlike someone else we know," Toby glanced at Walter. "Anyway, along with their ease with strangers, their developmental delays are coupled with cardiovascular problems and strong language skills – hence their ability to make friends easily. Kids with Williams Syndrome – aka Williams-Beuren Syndrome –often have very low IQs and extremely high EQs, but there have been cases where a kid with WBS was born with a high IQ. It's a rarity, but it does happen."

"Talk more when we're actually leaving, Doc." Happy said as she left the garage. Everyone soon followed.

**~ SCORPION ~**

When they returned from their case, Paige (as well as everyone else) was exhausted. They managed – with the help of Toby's psychoanalysis expertise – to find the person responsible for Michael's abduction and learned that the abductor was using the kid as a decoy for a heist that was to go down later in the afternoon. According to Walter, the abductor was a rookie; he didn't account for the GPS system in the vehicle he was using. Once Walter hacked into the surveillance cameras around Michael's school, Happy was able to determine the model and make of the car used in the abduction. While Michael's kidnapper _did _replace the license plate of the SUV he used during the kidnapping, all Walter needed to do was hack into the car's OnStar program and determine the location of the vehicle. The rest was up to the LAPD, and once the team was informed that Michael had been returned to his parents, they packed up and returned to the garage.

Paige was sitting on the couch next to Walter, leaning her head against his shoulder. "So it seems that people with both high IQs and super low IQs are taken advantage of by Normals."

"It's unfortunate but very accurate," Walter sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "Just a fact of life."

"It isn't right…." Her voice cracked.

"No. It's not, but it's something I've come to accept over the years. Hence the trust issues." Walter raked his hand through his hair. "But…, uh…, some things people do to others are not acceptable…."

"But they still happen."

"Yeah…. They still happen."

Paige closed her eyes and pushed her hair back. "I haven't been…forthright with you about a few things, Walter…."

"Things like what?" Walter blinked and turned to look at her.

Paige sighed. "The past week has been hell for me…. I can't sleep…. I can't stop thinking about the investigation…. I feel like I'm trapped…. I try to move forward, but as new leads are brought up, they only build to my impending nightmares. So…, when I'm not thinking about the case…, I don't sleep. I hope you're not mad…."

"Why would I be mad?" Walter raised an eyebrow.

"I know how you don't like secrets…."

Walter lightly chuckled. "You need to give me more credit, Paige. I've known about your insomnia for a while."

"You have?"

Before Walter could explain, Paige's cellphone buzzed. Thinking it could be Ralph sending her a text, she pulled out her phone but frowned the moment she saw the caller ID. "It's Drew."

"You're going to ignore him?"

"I don't want to talk to him right now." Paige dropped her phone onto the table in front of them.

"Does he know?"

"No." Paige answered quickly, "just because he's Ralph's father, it doesn't mean I have to tell him what goes on every day of my life." She closed her eyes and leaned back against Walter's shoulder; she just wanted to relax a little bit more before the two of them leave the garage to pick up her son. Her phone began to buzz again, but she continued to ignore it.

And when she didn't answer her phone for a second time, the Scorpion hotline rang.

"Are you sure you're not going to get that?" It was Toby's turn to speak as he walked by Walter and Paige. "He seems pretty damn persistent."

"Let him be." Paige just didn't want to deal with any more drama today.

And then his call went to voicemail. _"Paige, call me back! Dammit!" _That was all he said.

Toby's eyes were wide. "Well…, he seems angry…. I can't believe I'm saying this, but perhaps you _should _call him back, Paige. Might be important; he sounded a little desperate."

"I'll call him later," Paige said even though she knew she wasn't going to go through with it.

"He's calling again," Walter pointed to her phone, but she didn't reach for it.

Toby skipped to the table, picked up her phone and answered it, putting it on speaker. Paige balked in response. "Why hello, Andrew Baker; Paige isn't here right now so if you'd like to leave her a message, I'd be happy to give her whatever you have to say."

"_Where's Paige?!" _He was definitely angry.

"In a galaxy far, far away." Toby deadpanned.

"_I'm serious, Tony." _

"Toby."

"_Whatever." _Toby was sassing Drew as he spoke on the phone. _"Where is she?" _

Paige finally caved. "What do you want, Drew?"

Toby handed Paige her phone, and she placed the device in her lap.

"_You have __**some **__nerve asking me that! You should know exactly why I'm calling." _Drew spat.

"I don't like your tone," Paige frowned, "Now are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"_Unbelievable," _Drew fumed, "_Why the hell did you not tell me about your attack six months ago?! You think I don't have a right to know?!" _

"H-how did you find out?" Paige's throat started to dry up.

"_Some Detective Morrison called me for questioning…," _Drew was beyond pissed. _"Nice to know you think so low of me, Paige." _

"What are you insinuating?" Walter jumped into the conversation.

"_As if you don't know! You're probably in on it too!" _

"In on what?" Paige and Walter asked in unison.

"_Detective Morrison wants me to fly down to LA and give him a swab of my DNA; the only reason he'd ask for my DNA is if he had reason to believe I was the one who fucked you six months ago!" _Drew was shouting. Both Toby and Walter started bickering with the father of her son as Paige tried to wrap her head around whatever the hell was going on. Detective Morrison must have found out about Drew, but why would he suspect him? Drew wouldn't do that to her. Sure, they didn't get along some times, but Drew wasn't an idiot. He wouldn't do something to jeopardize his renewed career; it would be stupid.

The arguing grew louder.

"SHUT UP!" Paige screamed; all voices stopped talking at once. She grabbed her phone and took it off of speaker. "Drew, whatever the hell you're thinking, I didn't tell the detective about you at all. He's probably following up on some leads so pull that stick out of your ass! Not once did you ever cross my mind in the last six months, you narcissistic maniac! Just give the damn detective what he wants and forget he ever contacted you!" With that, she ended the call and stormed up the stairs.

Walter did not follow.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Another few days passed; Drew's DNA was in the clear – as Paige suspected, and he hadn't called since then. Paige had just received word from the detective that they found someone who matched her vague description and needed her to come to the station to identify him. They assured her she would be safe so both Walter and Cabe escorted her to the local precinct where she was asked to go into a room with a large window. Before she walked inside, Walter pulled her aside and asked her if she was okay; it was sweet of him to worry so much for her. She gave him a quick, light kiss, assuring him she would be okay and then entered the room. She was told no one would be able to see her; the man who had been her advocate during the questioning was with her, telling her she could take her time before allowing the guards to bring in the suspects. She took a few minutes before nodding for the guards to let the men in.

Six men filed into the lineup; all of them were wearing the hoodie Paige had described.

"Take your time," Detective Thompson, Morrison's partner, gave her a smile. "There's no rush. They can't hurt you so when you're ready, call out a number if you recognize one of them."

Paige swallowed the lump in her throat and clenched her fists as she glanced at the first man in the window. She _needed _to do this. She had to do this. Still…, it was hard. Number one was too short. She moved to the second individual. She just couldn't tell with them wearing their hoods down so she asked Detective Thompson if they could put their hoods on. The detective nodded and walked over to the mic, asking all of them to drape their hoods over their heads. When Paige looked back at the second man, she determined his skin was too dark to be her attacker.

And then she saw number three.

Everything about him made her sick to her stomach. She grabbed her chest as her lungs constricted. "I'm sorry!" She exclaimed. "I can't do this!" In seconds, she bolted out of the room and leaned against the wall, trying to calm herself. Her advocate stepped out of the room as Walter and the entire team walked up to her.

"He was in there, wasn't he?" Toby spoke softly; she felt Walter's hand on the small of her back.

"I d-don't know." She lied.

"I think you do." Toby crossed his arms and softened his expression.

"Remember, he can't hurt you or see you," her advocate said, touching her shoulder. Paige flinched from his touch.

"Don't touch me!" She weaved her way through everyone and stormed out of the precinct. She thought she could do this, but she couldn't.

She just couldn't.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Toby watched Paige run off, and as Walter was about to run after her, Happy took off, leaving the men standing like idiots in the precinct. Toby then looked at Paige's advocate and only said one thing: "First client, huh?"

"How could you tell?"

Toby shook his head. "No reason."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Happy bolted after Paige; leaving was a mistake. Paige had a chance to end all of this shit for good, and Happy wasn't going to sit and do nothing about it. It was time for Paige to realize just how strong she was; all she needed was a nudge. Walter wouldn't be able to give her that nudge; he's gone soft. He's more of her support system – someone she could rely upon. Paige didn't _need _someone to hold her hand and tell her things were going to be okay. She needed someone to give her a damn reality check.

"Don't you dare quit, Paige!" Happy called out to the woman as she charged after her. "Get your ass back in there right now!"

"And what?!" Paige whirled around, "tell them who raped me?!"

"That's exactly what you're going to do!" Happy shouted as she stopped running. "Grow a pair and get back in there!"

"What's the point?!" Paige threw her arms out. "Even if I point him out, it'll be months before there's even a trial!"

"So?! He'll still be incarcerated!" Happy didn't understand Paige's logic. "You said you wanted this to end, right?"

"Yes, but –"

"No buts." Happy barked. "You have a chance to turn what happened to you into a positive thing – if you tell them who had raped you, then that bastard can't touch another woman! You'd be stopping future attacks, and he'll have one hell of a time in prison because inmates have this grudge against sex offenders."

"I can't do it, all right?!" Paige wrapped her arms around herself. "I can't!"

"The hell you can't!" Happy fumed and threw her arms up. "For years, you worked as a waitress for the betterment of your son even though you were financially struggling to keep up with your bills; you drove a car through LA at high speeds only to stand up under a plane flying eight feet above your head; you've been to Bosnia and survived a field of landmines; let's not forget the cruise ship, shall we? You had a friggin' gun to your head, and you _still _wouldn't divulge information about our assignment! So don't you _dare_ tell me you can't walk your pretty white ass into that precinct and say one freakin' number." Paige remained silent so Happy continued. "If I wasn't in front of a police station right now, I'd clock you, Paige because you're oh-woe-is-me act is pissing me off! So…," Happy clenched her fist, "walk back in there and show that damn bastard what you're made of; Paige _Dineen_ isn't weak. Paige _Dineen_ is a freaking fighter." Happy took in a deep breath and crossed her arms. "There. I've said what I came to say. Do with it what you will."

Without another word, she turned on her heels and marched back into the precinct, and when she heard Paige slowly follow her, she smiled.

Now _that _was empowerment.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Okay, so…. I didn't plan on having Happy giving her that pep talk, but I felt like someone needed to give Paige a reality check – someone other than Walter. So…. I chose Happy. You know, woman to woman. :) I have to say… I am impressed!

Anyway, there's like… one more chapter and MAYBE an epilogue. :)

Let me know what you think! :D


	16. Complete

**WriterFreak001: **

"Cliffhanger" was brutal (BUT I LOVE THAT EPISODE REGARDLESS!). Best episode of the season in my opinion, and I am anxious to see how they're going to approach the season finale. Sorry for the delay; I needed a breather after the hell-storm we had last night.

I AM INCREDIBLY SORRY FOR SUCH A LATE UPDATE!

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 15: **

**Complete**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_And you love me just as I am…  
Wonderful, beautiful is what you see…  
When you look at me._

…

It's been a two months since Paige pointed out her attacker in the lineup, but the court hearing wasn't scheduled for another several weeks; she still hadn't decided if she was going to participate, and she might not decide until a few days prior. She finally returned to taking night classes, but she refused to drive herself; she wasn't ready yet. She might never be ready. There were a lot of things for which she still wasn't ready, but she was slowly finding her way back. She knew she would never be the same woman she once was – she was determined to make smarter choices and be more aware of the world around her. In the past few weeks, Cabe and Happy had both started giving her a few self-defense lessons, and she carried mace everywhere she went. She might be paranoid for a while, but at least she felt safer.

A few weeks ago, Drew flew down from Maine and apologized for his accusations; he claimed he was mad that she didn't share the news of her attack with him and took it out on her; she didn't accept his apology though. Not yet. She wasn't ready to forgive him for what he said, but she agreed to let him see Ralph under supervision. She didn't want Ralph's relationship with his father to suffer on account of an argument. Just because her relationship with Drew was very different than it used to be, it didn't mean Ralph should have to have the same distance. It wouldn't be fair to him.

"So how have you been, Paige?" Megan's voice shook Paige out of her thoughts and touched her knee.

"I've had better days," Paige shrugged and leaned into her chair. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly to her body. "It's been a weird eight months."

"I bet," Megan withdrew her hand and took a sip of her coffee. "I'm glad you came to visit though; it's been a while."

"Yeah." Paige forced a smile. "It has."

"Does Walter know you're here?"

"Yeah. He should be on his way in; I asked him to drop me off before parking the car." Paige answered in a hushed tone. "I'm sorry I'm hogging your sibling time today."

"Oh, you go ahead and hog, girl." Megan chuckled. "I talk to Walt all the time; it's nice to speak to someone who isn't an XY nor has a high IQ." She pushed herself forward and reached for Paige's hand. "And if Walter has a problem with it, he'll be leaving here with a limp after his foot gets reacquainted with my crutch."

Paige let out a small laugh and slightly shook her head as she imagined what sort of childhood Walter had with Megan as his sister; even crippled, she seemed as though she was a force to be reckoned with.

"So," Megan brought her back to reality, "is there a particular reason as to why you wanted the spotlight before my brother arrives?"

"Yeah," Paige bit her lip and nodded. She was silent for a few seconds and then she added, "A few, actually…"

"Well…, shoot, then."

"Okay…," Paige bit her lip…. "I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear, but I need advice…."

"Okay…. On Walter?"

"Yeah…," Paige blushed…. "We're both… a little… sexually frustrated… because… lately… we've, uh, had some moments where we've been wanting to…, you know…, try it…, but I still can't get out what happened to me…, and it's affecting our impending sexual relationship."

"First off, ew. A little TMI…, but…, since you're my friend and Walter's my brother, I'll do my best to give you whatever advice I can…." Megan cringed but then forced a smile. "I know what it's like to be sexually frustrated…. Believe me, this is coming from a woman who physically can't have sex…, anyway," Megan shook her head and added, "you're not here for my sob story…. I know this might seem like shitty advice, but what the hell. You said you two've been _trying _to have sex, right?"

"Yeah….," Paige's face felt hot, and she was sure Megan noticed.

"Well…. Perhaps that's you're problem…. Perhaps you shouldn't _try _anything…. Maybe you should just let… things… simmer between the two of you on their own…. You know…, let nature take its course? Make sense?"

"Yeah, I guess." Paige nodded, wanting to move onto a different topic. "Also…, Walter asked me to move in with him… me and Ralph, that is."

Megan's eyes popped open. "He did, did he? That's a pretty big step for a guy like Walter – especially if the two of you aren't… you know… doing it yet."

"I know…, and I know he's not asking me because he wants more… opportunities… if you know what I mean; he's wanting me and Ralph to move in on a logical standpoint…. One of his pros he had listed was that it saves gas and is time-effective…," Paige glanced at the floor.

"Based on your tone and your avoidance of eye contact, I'm sensing you're unsure about wanting to accept his invitation…." Megan raised an eyebrow and leaned back into her chair. "Or…, is it something else?"

"I love your brother; I do, but…," Paige shrugged, "I don't know…. I guess I just don't want to rush things with him, you know? I've already been burned once before, and it's not just me I have to think about; it's Ralph, too. I don't want to give my son false hope; Ralph adores Walter. He would be crushed if something were to ever happen between Walter and me."

"Well, for starters," Megan took a sip of her coffee, "you and Walter already spend a lot of time together, yes?"

Paige nodded.

"Okay, well, whether the three of you live together or not, if something happens between you and my brother, the relationship between Walter and Ralph would be affected anyway, and I'm sure you already know that. You're smart, and I know both you and Walter have probably already thought about the risks involved with your relationship. Am I wrong?"

"No."

"Then something tells me you're not being honest with yourself, Paige. There's something bigger going on with why you're hesitant to move in with Walter so until you come face to face with whatever the underlining issue is, moving in with him might be a mistake. Especially if you don't want to rush things." Megan folded her arms and gave Paige a smile. "I know you love my brother, and I know my brother loves you so if you're hesitant to move in with him, it typically means you're most likely not ready for whatever reason – only _you _know that reason, and I'm sure, if you talk it out with Walter, he'll understand."

"I guess you're right," Paige pushed her hair back.

"I always am," Megan laughed and then added, "only when Walter's not around though…. He has a penchant for wanting to prove people wrong about things."

"That's only because logical errors irritate me," Walter piped in as he approached them from behind Megan and circled around to the spot next to Paige.

"Nice segue, bro." Megan rolled her eyes and laughed. "Anyway, now that we're done sharing some dirty secrets about you," Megan smirked; Paige sensed Walter's discomfort, causing her to chuckle to herself, "how's the company fairing?"

"Oh, um," Walter cleared his throat as Paige interlinked her fingers with his, "fine. Everything's fine. Work has been busy for the last few days, but luckily for the team, today's been quite a slow day. No cases yet."

"That's good." Megan grinned. "I'm glad work's going well for the team."

"Yeah. Scorpion's made quite the reputation around LA." Walter matched his sister's smiling face and squeezed Paige's fingers. "It's only a matter of time before we get attention around the nation. Perhaps even an international recognition will be in Scorpion's future."

"As long as I'm not called a Super Nanny on national or international TV, I'm all for the company getting stronger recognition." Paige said as she leaned against Walter's shoulder.

"That was almost a year ago," Walter balked. "I thought you guys have gotten over it already."

"Oh, we have," Paige squeezed his hand; "I just wanted to get a rise out of you."

"Wow…. Not even dating for an entire year, and the two of you are already acting like a married couple. Weird yet entertaining." Megan caught Walter's and Paige's attention, and Paige was sure her cheeks were red. "So," Megan laughed, "how's the munchkin doing?"

"He's good," Paige was glad Megan changed the subject. "He's with Toby and Happy at the Observatory; however, on most days – since it's the summer – he's been given the opportunity to help with the team's cases… with lots of supervision, of course."

"I bet the kid loves that," Megan chuckled as she took a swig of her coffee.

"He doesn't do any of the field work," Walter added with a proud grin. "He mostly helps Toby or Sylvester in the van… his decryption skills have vastly improved since the kill screen incident, and he's almost as good of a hacker as me. Having him help on the technical front gives him some experience as well as keeps his mind engaged when he's not in school – not that he really learns anything there, though."

Paige bumped Walter's shoulder in response to his last comment, causing Megan to laugh. "Basically, Ralph is kind of like an intern on a very tight leash."

"I bet; I certainly wouldn't want him to be out there doing the field work; I've heard all of the reckless things you do, Walter. No offense, little bro, but the last thing Ralph needs right now is to be a mini you. He's too young to be doing all of the crazy." Megan blinked as Walter scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, I know. As I said once before, we're showing Ralph all of these things to show him how to be a grownup genius some day; we're not trying to make him into a grownup now." Walter pressed his lips together and glanced at Paige. "Someday, and… of course with Paige's approval," Walter gulped, "I might let him join in on the field work, but that won't be for another five to ten years."

"It'll be twenty if I have anything to say about it," Paige wasn't ready for her baby boy to grow up.

"We'll see," Walter smirked. "A lot can happen in five to ten years."

Megan coughed something that sound like "marriage and more kids," but Paige dismissed it, and Walter didn't seem to have noticed.

The three of them spent the next two hours talking of many things ranging from Megan teasing Walter for events of their childhood to Paige sharing some highlights of her past. Even Walter disclosed some interesting stories about his life in Ireland. Paige couldn't help but laugh when Walter said he used his voice dubbing software to call a bully's mother as the school's headmaster, telling the woman her son indecently exposed his unmentionables to a female student outside during a lunch hour one day.

Such stories made Paige fall in love with Walter even more; it was strange to hear him open up about his past – he hardly spoke about his time in Ireland, but maybe being in the presence of someone who shared the same Irish experience helped him open up more. She really didn't know, but she was glad she was starting to get to know her boyfriend a bit better.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"You've been quiet," Walter noted as he and Paige walked into the garage and made their way to the kitchen for dinner. "Well, more quiet than usual, that is."

"I was just thinking," Paige shrugged as she opened the fridge and pulled out sandwich condiments, giving them to Walter to place on the counter. "I've had a lot on my mind recently."

"About what I said last night?" Walter cocked a brown and took the mayonnaise from Paige. She nodded and closed the door, handing him the mustard before grabbing two plates from the cupboard. He didn't say anything else and patiently waited for her to speak. She was silent, though. So he asked with a soft voice, "Do you not want to move in?"

"No. It's not that," Paige shook her head and sighed. She pushed her hair back and leaned against the counter. "I do…, but…."

"But just not now?" Walter tried to understand Paige as he finished her impending statement.

"Well, that's part of it, but…," Paige was staring at the floor and biting her bottom lip. After seconds of silence, she finally continued. "The reasons you gave, Walter, are informative and… viable, but," she met his gaze, "I don't want to move in if all you're looking for is efficiency, Walter." She looked away again and slumped her shoulders. "Sure…. Moving in _could _be more time and cost effective, but it's also a big step in our relationship, Walter – a big step for me… for you… for Ralph…. It's not a plan or an idea that can just be thrown around for efficiency."

"Paige," Walter ran his hand through his hair and then placed his palms on her shoulders, "I wouldn't have asked for you and Ralph to move in if I wasn't serious; I recognize the emotional changes involved, and I had included that into my consideration before asking you to move in." Walter paused as Paige found his eyes again before continuing. "Yes, as I've stated before, you and Ralph moving in would be efficient, but had I not wanted it too, I wouldn't have asked."

Paige inhaled a deep breath of air and released it. "I appreciate your offer, but… unless you see our relationship moving somewhere, I don't think it would be a good idea to change the dynamics of what we have. I'm content with what we have, Walter, and I don't want some hurried decisions to screw with our current relationship; it could damage your bond with Ralph. He… _We_'ve been burned twice by one guy already so I'm going to need quite a bit more than just you _wanting _us to move in."

"I don't understand," Walter frowned.

Paige sighed. "Five to ten years from now…, do you see us still together in the same kind of relationship? Or…, do you see us engaged…, possibly married or even raising a family? Is… settling down something you want, Walter? What I need, Walter, is some sort of commitment from you, stating you want our relationship to move towards something more…. So…, is more than what we have something you want?"

Walter's face contorted. "I thought that was obvious…."

"What're you talking about?"

"I thought," Walter clarified, "that my asking you and Ralph to move in was an obvious indicator of us having a future together… as more than what we are now…."

"Oh. You did?" Paige raised her eyebrows and blinked. Her cheeks were rosy, and she bit her lip.

"Before analyzing the pros and cons of you and Ralph moving in, I based my initial examination on the things I wrote in that journal about how I feel about you…," when he saw Paige's blank expression, he sighed. "You didn't read it, did you?"

She shook her head. "I was upset…. I kind of forgot about it later."

"Oh…. Well…, I had assumed you read it when I asked you to move in, and therefore concluded I didn't need to address the content I had already given to you in the journal." Walter scratched the side of his face. "Perhaps I should have asked you if you had read the journal first before jumping the gun, per se."

"I'm sorry," she weaved her fingers through her hair. "I should have read your write-up when you had handed it to me. I feel bad now."

"Don't be," Walter's palms found her cheeks. "It's still up in the loft; read it whenever you're ready, and if you're not ready to move in, I understand. Especially if your reasons…, you know…, are related to what happened over half a year ago. While I, um, I want you and Ralph to move in…, there's no expiration date on the offer."

"That's sweet," Paige gave him a small smile, pulled his hands away from her face and then wrapped her arms around his torso. She rested her head against his collarbone. "And thank you…, but I think I need some more time before making such a big decision." She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before adding, "I'm just starting to find my way back to…, well, to _me_…. I think… I think I want to hold onto my independence a little while longer."

"Okay," was all Walter said before she pulled him down for another chaste kiss. "Until you're ready, I won't press it further."

"Thanks," she lightly smacked his cheek and then released him before spinning around to attend to the almost forgotten sandwich ingredients. "Now. Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Later in the evening, Ralph had called Paige, asking if he could spend the night at Toby's apartment, and because her son sounded so excited and happy, she couldn't say no to him. After dinner, she went to her desk to work on paperwork, and Walter went to work on his rocket; the Karmen Line Prize event was coming up, and he needed to finalize his touches with any chance of free time he had. She admired his focus, and she wished she could find ways to zone in on something and forget about her recurring nightmares. If only.

Knowing her boyfriend was going to be up late working on the rocket, she told him she was heading for the loft, but like always, he was too engrossed in his work to hear her. She didn't mind though; the Karmen Line Prize was an important goal for him, and she wanted him to do as much as he could to help his sister. If a few ignores here and there was what was needed for him to win, she would willingly accept it.

As she made her way to the loft, she silently evaluated the relationship she had with the man working on his rocket. For almost half a year, they had been dating, but she still couldn't bring herself to sexually commit to their relationship. They've had plenty of opportunities where they'd try to have sex… get started up and get to a certain point, but she could never bring herself to remove her underwear. Sometimes, he would be completely naked and she would only be wearing her underwear when they fell asleep; it was progress since they first started sharing a bed, but it wasn't what either of them wanted; they _both _knew they wanted more.

Paige knew Walter had to be a little frustrated with her (because she was frustrated with herself, too), but he never made his feelings known. He claimed he was perfectly contented with the way they often slept, but she knew better; however, despite the fact that he wanted sex as much as she did, he never pressured her beyond her level of comfort. She was comfortable with him holding her (which he did often), kissing her (there was a lot of _that_) and sleeping on top of him with her breasts pressing against his chest (something they only had started recently). Sometimes, in spite of the fact that they had progressed to him wearing nothing her wearing only her underwear, she was mad at herself for not being able to take the next step. She wanted _it_… him…, but her body – at least since the last time they tried having sex – wasn't ready to be touched in a place where she once was ravished.

When she made it to Walter's bedroom, she walked over to the bedside table next to his bed and opened the drawer, finding his journal neatly placed inside. She pulled it out and thumbed through the pages until she found the one he had marked.

Silently, she read.

…

_**January, 2015**_

_**I hired Paige Dineen onto Scorpion because the team needed someone who could connect with Normals. While I don't have emotions, I'm not blind to their existence. Other people have them – NORMAL people have them. Our clients experience said emotions, and therefore, we need someone who has strong social skills to bridge the divide between us… and… them. **_

_**Moreover, I had a personal goal to help her connect with her son, Ralph – a genius like us… like me. **_

_**Hiring Paige was a win-win; I would help her find ways to connect with her son, and she would find ways to help Scorpion connect with Normals. **_

_**From that standpoint, Paige's role in Scorpion made sense. I was her employer, and she was my employee. That was the relationship we had implicitly agreed upon when I had hired her. **_

_**However, over the course of five months, not only did my personal attachment to Ralph continue to grow, but my admiration for the young mother has morphed into something I can't explain. **_

_**Supporting Evidence: **_

_**1\. When the door to the garage opens, she's the first person who comes to my mind, and when she's not the one who walks through the door, I find I am disappointed. However, when she is the one who walks into the garage, I smile. I don't know why I smile; I just do. **_

_**2\. When she leaves the garage late at night, I pace around the floor until she calls, saying she's back home. (I guess I could call her, but I don't want to impose). **_

_**3\. The mere mention of Drew makes my blood boil. (Toby claims it's jealousy…)**_

_**4\. When I'm not thinking of science and math, I often find myself thinking of her. (reasoning: thinking of her brings me peace of mind when I want to escape my brain for a while).**_

_**5\. I think about the curvature of her smile a lot. **_

_**6\. And her soft voice. **_

_**7\. And her mellifluous laugh. **_

_**8\. When she touches my arm, I more than just freeze; I forget how to function. **_

_**Maybe the things I experience whenever she's near is a result of my sexual attraction to her. (I'd have to be blind not to be physically attracted to her). **_

_**Despite these foreign reactions I have around her, I cannot make a definitive conclusion until I've gathered much more evidence. **_

_**...**_

_**March, 2015**_

_**Two months have passed since my last entry. Work has been hectic so I haven't had time to document further findings; however, I have some free time before Paige and Ralph stop by for dinner with the team – it was Paige's idea to have a monthly, group meal to take us out of our minds for a night. I've grown accustomed to this new tradition and find it relaxing. Positive response from the team suggests they find it relaxing too. **_

_**Last week, we had a case where we were sent to locate lost hikers in the Los Angeles National Forest, but things went awry (as per usual), and a large forest fire almost consumed us. For reasons unknown to me, I had touched Paige's fingers, and then she reached for my hand. I do not know what that moment could have suggested on her part, but it made me realize I did have deeply rooted feelings for her. Why else would I want to touch her hand? Provide her comfort when we thought we were going to die? For most of my life, I believed love didn't exist, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe I just never experienced it until I met Paige; she makes me want to do things I've never wanted to do with any woman before her. **_

_**After I found out about her night classes, I offered to watch Ralph for her so she wouldn't have to stress about finding a sitter. I didn't mind; it gave me an opportunity to spend more time with the boy. The more often he spent the night, the more I began to wonder if there would ever be more to the relationship I currently have with Ralph's mother. **_

_**And then my thoughts would go beyond that; I would think about what my life could be like if Paige and I were married… or even had children. **_

_**For the first time in my life, I saw those things as possibilities… sharing a long-term portion of my life with a woman. **_

_**And for the first time in my life, I had wanted those things…. **_

_**And I only wanted them with Paige. **_

_**No one else. **_

_**I don't think I need to collect any more data on the matter; the evidence is pretty clear: **_

_**I think I'm (as silly and ridiculous as it sounds) falling in love with Paige Dineen. **_

…

Paige wiped the tears from her eyes and closed Walter's journal, placing it back inside his bedside table. She knew Walter loved her, but there was just something about reading his thoughts that made his feelings evermore real. And the thought of him wanting a committed relationship made her realize she was foolish for thinking anything less of Walter O'Brien.

Over the past eight months, Walter had been her strong tower, doing whatever he could to make her feel safe…, happy…, loved… and beautiful again. The road had been tough for both of them, but they had managed to figure things out. When she had wanted space, he had given it to her, and when she wanted him to be near her, he was by her side in seconds. He had seen the ugly, but he was still with her…. He loved her and often said she was beautiful even when, half of the time, she didn't believe what he was telling her. He had seen the real, bruised and broken Paige Dineen, but he still didn't give up even when she had tried pushing him away.

She had told him she wanted to treasure her renewed independence, but the more she evaluated her relationship with Walter, she realized she could still have her independence and live with the man she loved.

She could still have control over her life.

She refused to let what had happened to her control her life anymore; she _couldn't _let it affect her. _It _had already taken a huge chunk of her life away, and she didn't want it to take any more things away from her. She wanted…, needed…, craved to have control over her every action again – she wanted liberation. Freedom from the pain…, the guilt…, the feeling of unworthiness…. She wanted deliverance, and what better way to seek emancipation than to move forward with her life and not hold back? Maybe moving in with Walter would be a good thing; it would not only prove to herself that she was capable of moving forward, but it would also be an implicit message to her attacker – that he _didn't _ruin her… that she _wasn't _broken or damaged… that the things he did to her only made her stronger in the end.

She wanted to _be _stronger.

She _had _to be stronger.

She needed to be stronger.

Paige climbed off of Walter's bed and sauntered to the bathroom. She stripped down to her underwear and stared at the mirror in front of her. All of her injuries had healed; she had a few scars along her arms and the sides of her stomach, but they were fading. She took a deep breath and reminded herself of the control she craved to have as she slipped her thumbs underneath the lip of her panties and slowly slipped them down.

She stared at herself for minutes; it was the first time she had the gall to look at herself completely naked in the mirror. It felt strange to look at herself, and yet, it was empowering. Though the scars were still present, she felt as though she didn't have the same body as she had eight months ago. She had more muscle in her arms and legs from the defense classes she had been taking with Cabe and Happy. She was different, yet she was the same.

She walked over to the shower and turned it on when she heard a pair of footsteps stop short of the bathroom door. She didn't have to turn around to know who was behind her. She could feel his eyes on her…, and when she turned around, his expression wasn't filled with scrutiny or desire, but love and adoration. His arms were crossed in front of him, and he was leaning against the frame of the bathroom door. "I'm proud of you," was the only thing he said, flashing her a genuine smile.

For reasons unknown to her, she wasn't embarrassed standing buck naked in front of him; he had seen her naked once before… when she had tried to burn her skin with sweltering water. "I, uh…," she pushed her hair away from her face and slowly walked up to him, "I'm tired of not having control over my life…."

"I'm sure you are," Walter muttered as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his shoulder.

"And…," she blinked and hooked her arms around his neck, "I've been thinking…, and I want to move in."

"Paige, I told you before; you don't have to make a decision if you're not ready…." Walter's palms slid across her back and melted into her skin.

"I know," she nodded, "I know…, but I've been thinking about your invitation all wrong, and you were right; your journal _did _provide some insight on the matter. I let past mistakes get into my head and warp my judgement. Your journal only helped me see what I had already known, Walter. I was just… forcing myself to be blind to it because I was the one who was afraid of commitment… afraid of being burned again, but after everything that has happened in the last year, I've realized that… in spite of all of my doubts I had had, you never left. You were always committed… in your own way. And I don't want my fears to stop me from moving forward from… you know… what happened and all. I believe," she laughed a little, "as corny as it sounds…, that I should move in so I could finally move on."

Walter swallowed and nodded. "Do you…, um…, do you mean all of that?"

She smiled and lightly pressed her lips against his. "Yes." She pressed her forehead against his and inhaled the hot breaths he released. She found his gaze and quietly told him how much she loved him. "I want to have what you want, Walter…, and I only want it with you."

Paige closed her eyes and slowly opened his mouth with hers, molding her lips with his. Her fingers curled into his hair, and she clung to him with all of her might, not wanting to let go of him for a single second. Gradually, she undressed him and then led him to the shower where he stood behind her and held her against him as the warm water pelted against their bodies. His arms were wrapped around her torso, and as she continued to kiss him hard on the mouth, her fingers latched behind his neck, tugging his face closer to hers.

As gentle hands roamed and caressed her body, she felt a sense of beauty and empowerment overcome her. She spun around in Walter's embrace and told him she was ready, but he was hesitant. She couldn't blame him as she had thought she was ready a few times before. She pulled him down for another deep kiss as she wrapped her fingers around him, reassuring him of what she wanted.

"Okay," he softly said and turned off the water of the shower before pulling her into his arms and carrying her off to his bed.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter watched the woman in his arms sleep soundly against him and mindlessly tightened his arms around her, wanting to keep her as close to him as possible. After everything they had done only hours ago, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. She was still on top of him with her cheek resting against his collarbone, and their bodies were still conjoined.

He was proud of her for all of her progress, and to see her look at herself in the mirror without anger or disgust brought him a sense of relief. From the peaceful expression she wore as she rose and fell against him as he drew breaths of air, he knew she was going to be okay. That was all he could ever ask for.

That was all he ever wanted – Paige's happiness. He was now convinced more than ever that he could give her the happiness she's seeking – even if it would be a while before she was completely happy again. At least seeing her smile more and more was a start.

He no longer saw the broken woman he had encountered eight months ago, and while he (and everyone else) had – in some way – contributed to Paige's transformation, it was ultimately Paige's willpower that had helped her rise from her darkness. For so long, he had wanted to be the one to mend her broken pieces, but everything was clear to him now. He wasn't the one who needed to mend her; she needed to find her inner strength again to mend herself, and now that she was stronger, she could start healing from within.

He made a promise always to show her how much she meant to him each and every day so that she would never feel unworthy again.

So that she would never feel broken again.

"Walter?" her soft voice broke him out of his reverie.

"Hm?"

"Thank you," she rose her head and gave him a smile.

"For what?"

"For everything," she kissed him. She didn't need to explain; he knew what she had meant.

"You're welcome," he mumbled against her lips as she kissed him harder.

…

_You're welcome._

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

This chapter was a pain to write merely because it ended up being a lot longer. I was going to plan for this chapter to be the last chapter of _Broken Pieces_, but I've decided to go ahead and write an epilogue. :) I hope I did this chapter justice; it was hard to write.

Again, I apologize for the delay!

Also, here is a message to a reviewer named Bella of _Deception _(if you are reading this): _Deception _is continued in my series: _Mind Games_. :) So nope! That's not all! :D


	17. Epilogue

**WriterFreak001: **

THE SNEAK PEEKS! O_O

This is the last and final installment to _Broken Pieces_. Thank you for sticking by this story through all its ups and downs; I enjoyed writing it. Now that _Broken Pieces _is complete, I am going to work on some one-shots until I come up with an idea for the third volume to the _Masterminds of Deceit _series. So far, I haven't had any ideas so it might be a few weeks.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**Title** | Broken Pieces

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | After everything Walter has faced while working as a government contractor, he encounters what might be the most difficult challenge of his life. He finds a catatonic Paige in her apartment after receiving a call from Cabe that her car had been totaled during the night. When he approaches her, she falls apart, and he doesn't know how to mend her broken pieces. What he learns might not be a problem he can fix, and he might have some difficulty accepting that premise – especially when it involves the woman he has grown fond of over the last several months. Will Walter be able to heal Paige's shattered heart, or is his EQ too ill-equipped for him to be there for her when she needs a shoulder to cry on? Read and find out.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for traumatic experiences, language and suggestive themes.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL NOT SUITED FOR SENSITIVE READERS. READERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

**Broken Pieces**

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Epilogue**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Paige lightly hummed to herself as she finished setting the table for the big Christmas dinner. Walter was busy finishing the final touches to Ralph's Christmas present, and Ralph was on his way back from the observatory with Cabe. She couldn't believe it had been a little over six years since she had first joined Scorpion; time seemed to fly fast. Her life had changed so much since Scorpion, and despite everything she had been through several years ago, she wouldn't trade the life she had now for anything. If it wasn't for her attack, she and her _husband _might not have grown closer together. Yes, what had happened to her was horrible, but because of _it_, she was a stronger and smarter person. Her attacker was sentenced to prison for a very long time because she had decided to come forward, and when she learned of his sentence, she felt as though a weight was lifted from her shoulders. Paige now made better decisions, and while she occasionally had a nightmare or two, she had – for the most part – moved on and is living a life of which dreams were made.

She had a huge family, and it was still growing. Cabe had finally found a woman who was able to tolerate his workload, and his fiancée absolutely adored Walter and Ralph. And Walter approved of her. Toby and Happy were engaged… again, and Megan had finally accepted Sylvester's marriage proposal. Walter was still trying to get over the fact that his best friend was going to be marrying his sister, but he's slowly coming around. Ralph is now in high school and started driving a few months ago; he was growing up, and once he turned seventeen, he was going to help with Scorpion part-time when he wasn't in school.

Everything seemed perfect in Paige's life, and it was only going to get even more perfect.

As she circled around the table and made her way into the kitchen to fetch the basket of rolls, she heard the door open, and Toby, Happy and Patrick filed into the garage. Toby and Happy were having another one of their petty arguments, and Patrick was simply sauntering towards the table with his hands in his pockets. Paige lifted the basket off of the counter and returned to the table, placing it towards the center. When she realized the candles weren't lit, she swiftly returned to the kitchen only to find herself pressed against the fridge with lips claiming hers.

She mindlessly wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and deepened the kiss. Remembering the candles, she tore away from him and told Walter there would be plenty of _that _once everybody left. He muttered an "okay" and then took a step back, letting her return to her task.

Once everyone had arrived, dinner promptly started and the garage was filled with joy, laughter and high spirits. Happy and Toby, together, gave everyone gag gifts, while Sylvester and Megan gave everybody movies they thought they would enjoy. Cabe and Sarah handed everyone envelopes with cash in them, and Walter, Paige and Ralph gave Toby, Happy and Sylvester new laptops for work and then gave Cabe and Sarah a gift card to one of LA's most elegant restaurants with "premade" reservations for the end of January.

"Hey, Ralph," Walter pointed towards the back of the garage, "I've got your gift sitting in the back."

Ralph rose to his feet and followed Walter beyond the kitchen with everyone in tow. Where Walter's rocket used to be was Walter's newly refurbished Datsun. "No way!" Ralph exclaimed as he touched the hood of the car. "This is mine?"

Paige laughed from her son's outburst as Walter said, "Well, since you're going to be starting to help with Scorpion when you're seventeen, you're going to need a ride from school to the locations of our cases. The Datsun's been through some hard times, but Happy and I recalibrated the engine so it works as good as new. It's better than taking the taxi to school every morning."

"Sweet!" Ralph climbed into the car and wrapped his fingers along the steering wheel. "Can I drive it now, Mom?" Ralph's eyes were wide open, but Paige shook her head.

"Not tonight. Tomorrow, you can give it a spin if you promise not to drive like a maniac," Paige crossed her arms and laughed as she leaned against Walter's side. "One crazy, reckless driver in this family is enough."

"Make that two reckless drivers," Toby coughed as he pointed to Happy. Happy elbowed him in the ribs.

Ralph hopped out of the Datsun and pulled out his phone. "Billy and Sloan are going to want to see this!" He took a picture of the car and sent it to his best friend and girlfriend before pulling up the hood to examine the engine.

"Whatever happened to your manners, Ralph?" Paige asked, expecting her son to say a thank you, but he was too engrossed to hear her. She turned towards Walter and rolled her eyes. "Teenagers…."

**~ SCORPION ~**

By midnight, everyone had returned home, and Ralph was in his bedroom (a room Walter had to install after proposing to Paige three years ago); Walter and Paige were in the loft, lounging around on the couches, exhausted from the busy day they had. "If you give me a second," Paige pulled away from Walter and quickly gave him a kiss, "I have your present waiting in the bedroom."

"Is it something," Walter forced a chuckle, "that needs to be opened in the bedroom?"

Paige lightly smacked his arm. "Get your mind out of the gutter!" Paige rolled her eyes and disappeared, only to reappear a few minutes later with a small gift box. She handed it to him and watched him as he popped off the lid. He blinked at the object inside the box.

Walter glanced at Paige and swallowed. "Are you sure?"

Paige then dug into her purse and handed him a Ziploc bag with three more positive pregnancy tests inside. "Oh. I'm sure." She climbed on top of him and straddled his hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Now why don't we go in there," she nodded towards their bedroom, "and reenact the baby's conception?"

She leaned down and pressed her lips against his mouth as he pushed them off of the couch and muttered, "Oh, I like _that_ idea."

She grinned as they landed on the bed. "I thought you would."

…

And throughout the entire night, Walter did nothing but make Paige feel loved, complete and incandescently beautiful.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Foolish heart looks like we're here again  
Same old game of plastic smile  
Don't let anybody in  
Hiding my heartache, will this glass house break  
How much will they take before I'm empty  
Do I let it show, does anybody know?

But you see the real me  
Hiding in my skin, broken from within  
Unveil me completely  
I'm loosening my grasp  
There's no need to mask my frailty  
Cause you see the real me

Painted on, life is behind a mask  
Self-inflicted circus clown  
I'm tired of the song and dance  
Living a charade, always on parade  
What a mess I've made of my existence  
But you love me even now  
And still I see somehow

But you see the real me  
Hiding in my skin, broken from within  
Unveil me completely  
I'm loosening my grasp  
There's no need to mask my frailty  
Cause you see the real me

Wonderful, beautiful is what you see  
When you look at me  
You're turning the tattered fabric of my life into  
A perfect tapestry  
I just wanna be me

But you see the real me  
Hiding in my skin, broken from within  
Unveil me completely  
I'm loosening my grasp  
There's no need to mask my frailty  
Cause you see the real me  
And you love me just as I am  
Wonderful, beautiful is what you see  
When you look at me

"**The Real Me"| ****Natalie Grant**

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001:**

I know it was short, but I didn't have much planned for the epilogue anyway. Thank you for the ride this story went on! :) Let me know what you think of the story as a whole!


End file.
